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THE  NOVELS 

OF 

CAPTAIN   MARRYAT 

EDITED    BY 

R.  BRIMLEY    JOHNSON 


This  Edition  of  Captain  Marry  af  s  Novels, 

made  exclusively  for  members  of  the 

NEW  YORK  YACHT  CLUB 

is  strictly  limited  to  one  hundred  copies. 

Copy  No.  /  O 
PRINTED  FOR 
H.  A.  VAN  HEW,  Esq. 


NEW  YORK  YACHT  CLUB  EDITION 


THE     MISSION 


OR 


SCENES    IN   AFRICA 


BY 
CAPTAIN   MARRY  AT 


•Y\£ 

M4, 


NEW  YORK 

CROSCUP  AND  COMPANY 

MDCCCXCVI 


1^ 


Contents 


Chapter 

i 

Chapter 

ii 

Chapter 

in 

Chapter 

IV 

Chapter 

V 

Chapter 

VI 

Chapter 

VII 

Chapter 

VIII 

Chapter 

IX 

Chapter 

X 

Chapter 

XI 

Chapter 

XII 

Chapter 

XIII 

Chapter 

XIV 

Chapter 

XV 

Chapter 

XVI 

Chapter 

XVII 

Chapter 

XVIII 

Chapter 

XIX 

Chapter 

XX 

Chapter 

XXI 

Chapter 

XXII 

Chapter 

XXIII 

PAGE 

I 

II 

16 

23 
29 

40 

46 

54 
62 

70 
80 
90 

99 
in 
120 
132 

144 

*57 

168 
182 
201 
214 
227 


VI 


Contents 


Chapter  xxtv 
Chapter  xxv 
Chapter  xxvi 
Chapter  xxvii 
Chapter  xxvii i 
Chapter  xxix 


239 

255 
267 

280 
292 

303 


List  of  Etchings 

The  lion   hunt      (Ch.  xvii.)      .  .  ,  Frontispiece 

PAGE 

The    flat    top    of    Table    Mountain    was    distinctly 

VISIBLE  ,  47 

The  whole  train   had  quitted  the  town  „  .         62 

The  elephant  hunt      .  .  .  e  ,101 

A  large  hippopotamus  rushed  upon  them  .  „       205 

The  animal  soon  left  the  Major  behind  .  .       268 

Drawn  and  Etched  by  D.   Murray  Smith. 


Prefatory    Note 


Of  this  work  Marryat  wrote  to  his  friend,  Mrs  S.  : — 

"It  is  composed  of  scenes  and  descriptions  of  Africa 
in  a  journey  to  the  northward  from  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope — full  of  lions,  rhinoceroses,  and  all  manner  of  adven- 
tures, interspersed  with  a  little  common  sense  here  and 
there,  and  interwoven  with  the  history  of  the  settlement 
of  the  Cape  up  to  1 828 — written  for  young  people,  of 
course,  and,  therefore  trifling,  but  amusing." 

This  description  is  very  exact,  and  the  excellent  material 
here  enumerated  is  well  handled  ;  but,  from  its  entire  lack 
of  central  interest,  The  Mission  has  been  little  read  and 
seldom  appreciated.  The  aim  and  end  of  the  hero's 
journey,  his  "  Mission,"  is  most  undramatically  accom- 
plished at  the  close  of  the  first  volume,  and  the  remaining 
pages  are  occupied  with  his  return.  The  good  youth, 
Alexander,  traversed  strange  lands,  and  encountered  many 
perils — 

"  '  But  what  good  came  of  it  at  last,' 
Quoth  little  Peterkin  !  " 

Verily  none.  In  spite  of  vigorous  action  and  many 
exciting  incidents,  it  may  be  justly  complained  that,  in 
the  reader's  view,  nothing  happens  from  cover  to  cover. 
Except  that  the  delightful  Bush  boy  Omrah  learns  a 
certain  limited  amount  of  English,  the  characters  are  no 
further  advanced  at  the  end  than  the  beginning. 

But  so  long  as  one  can  forget  this  radical  defect,  and 
chain  his  attention  to  the  huntings  and  fightings  as  they 
arise,  he  will  be  amply  rewarded.  The  three  Englishmen 
and  their  Hottentot  attendants  are  life-like  creations,  whose 


x  Prefatory  Note 

actual  adventures  are  continually  supplemented  by  tales 
narrated  of  others  whose  experiences  had  been  even  more 
thrilling  than  their  own.  The  wild  animals  are  vividly 
pourtrayed,  their  habits  described  with  sympathy,  and  a 
due  respect  evinced  for  their  moral  characters.  Swinton 
is  a  little  tedious,  perhaps,  as  a  lecturer,  especially  on 
Colonial  history ;  but  his  utterances  are  never  prolonged. 
There  is  matter  on  every  page  to  arrest  the  interest  of 
a  healthy-minded  boy,  and  keep  him  eager  for  the  end. 

Here,  as  elsewhere  in  his  children's  series,  Marryat 
has  recognised  the  importance — to  youthful  minds — of 
realistic  detail  and  direct  narration.  He  practises  the  first 
necessity  of  his  art  by  telling  you  precisely  how  everything 
was  managed. 

The  Mission  can  never  rival  Masterman  Ready,  The 
Children  of  the  New  Forest,  or  even  The  Settlers,  but  it  is 
eminently  readable  throughout.  It  has  been  here  reprinted 
from  the  first  edition  in  two  volumes  :  Longman,  Brown, 
Green,  and  Longmans,  1845. 

R.  B.  J. 


The  Mission 


Chapter    I 

THE   EXPEDITION 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1828,  that  an  elderly 
and  infirm  gentleman  was  slowly  pacing  up  and  down  in 
a  large  dining-room.  He  had  apparently  finished  his 
dinner,  although  it  was  not  yet  five  o'clock,  and  the 
descending  sun  shone  bright  and  warm  through  the 
windows,  which  were  level  with  the  ground,  and  from 
which  there  was  a  view  of  a  spacious  park,  highly  orna- 
mented with  old  timber.  He  held  a  newspaper  in  one  hand 
and  had  the  other  behind  his  back,  as  if  for  support,  for 
he  was  bent  forward,  and  looked  very  feeble  and  emaciated. 

After  pacing  for  some  time,  he  sat  down  in  an  easy- 
chair  and  remained  in  deep  thought,  holding  the  news- 
paper in  both  his  hands. 

This  old  gentleman's  name  was  Sir  Charles  Wilmot. 
He  had  in  early  life  gone  out  to  India  as  a  writer,  and 
after  remaining  there  for  a  few  years,  during  which  he 
had  amassed  a  handsome  fortune,  was  advised  to  leave 
the  country  for  a  time  on  account  of  his  health.  He 
returned  to  England  on  furlough,  and  had  not  been  there 
more  than  six  months  when  the  death,  without  issue, 
of  his  eldest  brother,  Sir  Henry  Wilmot,  put  him  in 
possession  of  the  entailed  estates  and  of  the  baronetcy. 

This  decided  him  not  to  return  to  India  for  his  wife 
and  three  daughters,  whom  he  had  left  out  there,  but  to 
write,  desiring  them  to  return  home  by  the  first  ship. 

M  A 


2  The  Mission 

The  reply  which  he  received  was  most  painful :  his  wife 
and  two  of  his  daughters  had  been  carried  off  by  the 
cholera,  which  had  been  very  fatal  during  the  previous 
rainy  season.  His  remaining  daughter  was  about  to  sail, 
in  obedience  to  his  wishes,  in  the  Grosvenor  East-Indiaman, 
under  the  care  of  Colonel  and  Mrs  James,  who  were  near 
connections. 

This  was  a  heavy  blow  with  which  it  pleased  God  to 
visit  him  in  his  prosperity,  and  was  almost  a  total  wreck 
of  all  his  hopes  and  anticipations.  But  he  was  a  good 
man  and  a  religious  one,  and  he  bowed  in  humility  to 
the  dispensation,  submitting  with  resignation  to  his  loss, 
and  still  thankful  to  Heaven  that  it  had  graciously  spared 
one  of  the  objects  of  his  affections  to  console  him,  and 
to  watch  his  declining  years. 

Sir  Charles  Wilmot  took  possession  of  the  family  mansion 
and  estate  in  Berkshire,  in  which  he  was  still  residing  at 
the  time  that  our  history  commences.  By  degrees  he 
became  more  resigned,  and  waited  with  anxiety  for  the 
return  of  his  only  daughter,  who  now  seemed  more  dear 
to  him  than  ever.  He  employed  himself  in  making  pre- 
parations for  her  reception,  fitting  up  her  apartments  in 
the  Oriental  style  which  she  had  been  accustomed  to,  and 
devising  every  little  improvement  and  invention  which  he 
thought  would  give  pleasure  to  a  child  of  ten  years  old. 

But  it  pleased  Heaven  that  Sir  Charles  should  be  more 
severely  chastised :  the  Grosvenor  s  time  of  arrival  had 
elapsed,  and  still  she  was  not  reported  in  the  Channel; 
week  after  week  of  anxiety  and  suspense  passed  slowly 
away,  and  the  East-India  ship  did  not  make  her  appear- 
ance. It  was  supposed  that  she  had  been  captured  by 
the  enemy,  but  still  no  tidings  of  her  capture  were 
received.  At  length,  however,  this  state  of  anxiety  and 
doubt  was  put  an  end  to  by  the  dreadful  intelligence  that 
the  ship  had  been  wrecked  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa, 
and  that  nearly  the  whole  of  the  crew  and  passengers 
had  perished.  Two  men  belonging  to  her  had  been 
brought  home  by  a  Danish  East-Indiaman,   and   shortly 


The  Mission  3 

after  the  first  intelligence,  these  men  arrived  in  London, 
and  gave  a  more  particular  detail  of  what  had  occurred. 

Sir  Charles,  in  a  state  of  feverish  anxiety,  as  soon  as 
he  heard  of  their  arrival,  hastened  up  to  town  to  question 
these  men,  and  the  result  of  his  interrogatories  fully 
convinced  him  that  he  was  now  quite  bereaved  and 
childless.  This  was  the  last  blow  and  the  most  severe  ; 
it  was  long  before  he  could  resign  himself  to  the  un- 
searchable dispensations  of  Providence ;  but  time  and 
religion  had  at  last  overcome  all  his  repining  feelings, — 
all  disposition  to  question  the  goodness  or  wisdom  of 
his  Heavenly  Father,  and  he  was  enabled  to  say,  with 
sincerity,  "  Not  my  will, — but  thine,  be  done." 

But  although  Sir  Charles  was  thus  left  childless,  as 
years  passed  away,  he  at  last  found  that  he  had  those 
near  to  him  for  whom  he  felt  an  interest,  and  one  in 
particular  who  promised  to  deserve  all  his  regard.  This 
was  his  grand-nephew,  Alexander  Wilmot,  who  was 
the  legal  heir  to  the  title  and  entailed  property, — the 
son  of  a  deceased  nephew,  who  had  fallen  during  the 
Peninsular  war. 

On  this  boy  Sir  Charles  had  lavished  those  affections 
which  it  pleased  Heaven  that  he  should  not  bestow  upon 
his  own  issue,  and  Alexander  Wilmot  had  gradually 
become  as  dear  to  him  as  if  he  had  been  his  own  child. 
Still  the  loss  of  his  wife  and  children  was  ever  in  his 
memory,  and  as  time  passed  on,  painful  feelings  of  hope 
and  doubt  were  occasionally  raised  in  Sir  Charles's  mind, 
from  the  occasional  assertions  of  travellers,  that  all  those 
did  not  perish  who  were  supposed  so  to  do,  when  the 
Grosvenor  was  wrecked,  and  that,  from  the  reports  of 
the  natives,  some  of  them  and  of  their  descendants  were 
still  alive.  It  was  a  paragraph  in  the  newspaper,  con- 
taining a  renewal  of  these  assertions,  which  had  attracted 
the  attention  of  Sir  Charles,  and  which  had  put  him  in 
the  state  of  agitation  and  uneasiness  in  which  we  have 
described  him  at  the  opening  of  this  chapter. 

We  left  him  in  deep  and  painful   thought,  with   the 


4  The  Mission 

newspaper  in  his  hands.  His  reveries  were  interrupted 
by  the  entrance  of  Alexander  Wilmot,  who  resided  with 
him,  being  now  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  having  just 
finished  his  college  education.  Alexander  "Wilmot  was  a 
tall,  handsome  young  man,  very  powerful  in  frame,  and 
very  partial  to  all  athletic  exercises ;  he  was  the  best 
rower  and  the  best  cricketer  at  Oxford,  very  fond  of 
horses  and  hunting,  and  an  excellent  shot ;  in  character 
and  disposition  he  was  generous  and  amiable,  frank  in  his 
manner,  and  obliging  to  his  inferiors.  Every  one  liked 
Alexander  Wilmot,  and  he  certainly  deserved  to  be  liked, 
for  he  never  injured  or  spoke  ill  of  anybody.  Perhaps  his 
most  prominent  fault  was  obstinacy,  but  this  was  more 
shown  in  an  obstinate  courage  and  perseverance  to  conquer 
what  appeared  almost  impossible,  and  at  the  greatest  risk 
to  himself ;  he  was  of  that  disposition  that  he  would  hardly 
get  out  of  the  way  of  a  mad  bull  if  it  crossed  his  path, 
but  risk  his  life  probably,  and  to  no  purpose  j  but  there  is 
no  perfection  in  this  world,  and  it  was  still  less  to  be 
expected  in  a  young  man  of  only  twenty-two  years  of  age. 

"  Well,  uncle,  I've  conquered  him,"  said  Alexander,  as 
he  came  into  the  room,  very  much  heated  with  exercise. 

"  Conquered  whom,  my  boy  ? "  replied  Sir  Charles. 

"  The  colt ;  I've  backed  him,  and  he  is  now  as  gentle 
as  a  lamb ;  but  he  fought  hard  for  two  hours  at  least." 

"  Why  should  you  run  such  risk,  Alexander,  when  the 
horsebreaker  would  have  broke  him  just  as  well  ?  " 

"  But  not  so  soon,  uncle." 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  were  in  such  want  of  a  horse 
as  to  require  such  hurry  ;  I  thought  you  had  plenty  in  the 
stable." 

"  So  I  have,  uncle,  thanks  to  you,  more  than  I  can  use  ; 
but  I  like  the  pleasure,  the  excitement." 

"  There  you  state  the  truth,  my  dear  Alexander  ;  when 
you  have  lived  as  long  as  I  have,  you  will  find  more 
pleasure  in  quiet  and  repose,"  replied  Sir  Charles,  with  a 
heavy  sigh. 

"  Something  has  disturbed  you,  my  dear  uncle,"   said 


The  Mission  5 

Alexander,  going  up  to  Sir  Charles  and  taking  his  hand ; 
"  what  is  it,  sir  ?" 

"  You  are  right,  Alexander  ;  something  has  unsettled 
me,  has  called  up  painful  feelings  and  reminiscences  ;  it  is 
that  paragraph  in  the  newspaper." 

Alexander  was  now  as  subdued  almost  as  his  uncle  ;  he 
took  a  chair  and  quietly  read  the  paragraph. 

"  Do  you  think  that  there  is  any  foundation  for  this,  my 
dear  sir  ?  "  said  he,  after  he  had  read  it. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  say,  my  dear  boy ;  it  may  be  so,  it 
has  often  been  asserted  before.  The  French  traveller  Le 
Vaillant  states  that  he  received  the  same  information,  but 
was  prevented  from  ascertaining  the  truth  ;  other  travellers 
have  subsequently  given  similar  accounts.  You  may 
easily  credit  the  painful  anxiety  which  is  raised  in  my 
mind,  when  I  read  such  a  statement  as  this.  I  think  I  see 
my  poor  Elizabeth,  the  wife  or  slave  to  some  wild  savage ; 
her  children,  merciful  Heaven  !  my  grandchildren,  growing 
up  as  the  brutes  of  the  field  in  ignorance  and  idolatry.  It 
is  torture,  my  dear  Alexander — absolute  torture,  and 
requires  long  prayer  and  meditation  to  restore  my  mind  to 
its  usual  tone,  and  to  enable  me  to  bow  to  the  dispensations 
of  the  Divine  will." 

"  Although  I  have  long  been  acquainted  with  the  general 
statement,  my  dear  uncle,  respecting  the  loss  of  the  ship, 
I  have  never  yet  heard  any  such  details  as  would  warrant 
this  apprehension  of  yours.  It  is  generally  supposed  that 
all  perished,  perished  indeed  most  miserably,  except  the 
few  men  who  made  their  way  to  the  Cape,  and  returned  to 
England." 

"  Such  was  the  supposition,  my  dear  boy,  but  subsequent 
reports  have  to  a  certain  degree  contradicted  it,  and  there 
is  reason  to  believe  that  all  did  not  perish  who  were 
accounted  as  dead.  If  you  have  nothing  particularly  to 
engage  you  at  this  moment,  I  will  enter  into  a  detail  of 
what  did  occur,  and  of  the  proofs  that  the  fate  of  a  large 
portion,  among  which  that  of  your  aunt  Elizabeth,  was 
never  ascertained." 


6  The  Mission 

"  If  it  will  not  be  too  painful  to  you,  my  dear  uncle,  I 
will  most  gladly  hear  it." 

"  I  will  not  dwell  longer  upon  it  than  is  necessary, 
Alexander  ;  believe  me  the  subject  is  too  distressing,  but 
I  wish  you  to  know  it  also,  and  then  to  give  me  your 
opinion.  You  are  of  course  aware  that  it  was  on  the  coast 
of  CafFraria,  to  the  southward  of  Port  Natal,  that  the 
Grosvenor  was  wrecked.  She  soon  divided  and  went  to 
pieces,  but  by  a  sudden — I  know  not  that  I  can  say  a 
fortunate — change  of  wind,  yet  such  was  the  will  of 
Heaven, — the  whole  of  the  crew  and  passengers  (with  the 
exception  of  sixteen  who  had  previously  attempted  to  gain 
the  shore  by  a  hawser,  and  one  man  who  was  left  on 
board  in  a  state  of  intoxication)  were  all  safely  landed, 
even  to  the  little  children  who  were  coming  home  in  the 
vessel  j  among  whom  was  my  poor  Elizabeth." 

Alexander  made  no  observation  when  Sir  Charles 
paused  for  a  while  :  the  latter  then  continued  : — 

"  By  the  time  that  they  had  all  gained  the  shore,  the 
day  was  far  spent ;  the  natives,  who  were  of  the  CafFre 
race,  and  who  had  been  busy  in  obtaining  all  the  iron 
that  they  could  from  the  main-mast,  which  had  drifted 
on  shore,  left  the  beach  at  dark.  The  wretched  sufferers 
lighted  fires,  and  having  collected  some  casks  of  beef 
and  flour,  and  some  live  stock,  they  remained  on  the 
rocks  during  that  night.  The  next  morning  the  captain 
proposed  that  they  should  make  their  way  to  Cape  Town, 
the  Dutch  settlement,  to  which  they  all  unanimously 
consented  ;  certainly  a  most  wild  proposition,  and  showing 
very  little  judgment." 

"  Could  they  have  done  otherwise,  my  dear  uncle  ?  " 

"  Most  certainly,  they  knew  that  they  were  in  a  country 
of  lawless  savages,  who  had  already  come  down  and  taken 
by  force  everything  that  they  could  lay  their  hands  upon. 
The  captain  calculated  that  they  would  reach  Cape  Town 
in  sixteen  or  seventeen  days.  How  far  his  calculation  was 
correct,  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  those  who  did  reach 
it  at  last,  were  one  hundred  and  seventeen  days  on  their 


The  Mission  7 

journey.  But  even  admitting  that  the  distance  could  have 
been  performed  in  the  time  stated  by  the  captain,  the 
very  idea  of  attempting  to  force  their  way  through  a 
country  inhabited  by  savage  people,  with  such  a  number 
of  helpless  women  and  children,  and  without  any  arms  for 
their  defence,  was  indeed  an  act  of  folly  and  madness,  as 
it  eventually  proved." 

"  What  then  should  have  been  their  plan  ? " 

"  Observe,  Alexander,  the  ship  was  wrecked  not  a 
cable's  length  from  the^  shore,  firmly  fixed  upon  a  reef  of 
rocks  upon  which  she  had  been  thrown ;  the  water  was 
smooth,  and  there  was  no  difficulty  in  their  communica- 
tion. The  savages,  content  with  plundering  whatever 
was  washed  on  shore,  had  to  the  time  of  their  quitting 
the  rocks  left  them  uninjured.  They  might  have  gone 
on  board  again,  have  procured  arms  to  defend  themselves 
and  the  means  of  fortifying  their  position  against  any 
attempt  of  the  savages,  who  had  no  other  weapons  but 
assaygays  or  spears,  and  then  might  have  obtained  the 
provisions  and  other  articles  necessary  for  their  support. 
Armed  as  they  might  have  been,  and  numerous  as  they 
were,  for  there  were  one  hundred  and  fifty  souls  on  board 
at  the  time  of  the  wreck,  they  might  have  protected 
themselves  until  they  had  built  boats  or  small  vessels  out 
of  the  timber  of  the  wreck  ;  for  all  their  carpenters  and 
blacksmiths  were  safely  landed  on  shore  with  them.  By 
taking  this  course  they  might  have  coasted  along  shore, 
and  have  arrived  without  difficulty  at  the  Cape." 

"  Most  certainly,  sir,  it  would  have  been  the  most 
judicious  plan." 

"The  captain  must  have  been  very  deficient  in  judgment 
to  have  acted  as  he  did.  He  had  everything  to  his  hand 
— the  means — the  men  to  build  the  boats — provisions, 
arms,  sails,  and  cordage,  and  yet  he  threw  all  these 
chances  away,  and  attempted  to  do  what  was  impossible." 

"  He  was  not  one  of  those  who  were  saved,  I  believe, 
sir." 

"No,  he  is  one  of  those  who  have  not  been  heard  of  j 


8  The  Mission 

but  to  proceed : — The  first  day  of  their  march  from  the 
site  of  the  wreck  ought  to  have  been  a  warning  to  them 
to  turn  back.  The  savages  robbed  them  of  everything 
and  threw  stones  at  them.  A  Dutchman  of  the  name  of 
Trout,  who  had  fled  to  the  Caffre  country  for  some 
murder  he  had  committed  in  the  colony,  fell  in  with  them 
and  told  them  the  attempt  was  impracticable,  from  the 
number  of  savage  nations,  the  width  of  the  rivers,  the 
desert  countries  without  water,  and  the  number  of  wild 
beasts  which  they  would  encounter ;  but  still  they  were 
not  persuaded,  and  went  on  to  their  destruction.  They 
were  not  five  miles  from  the  wreck  at  that  time,  and 
might  have  returned  to  it  before  night." 

"  May  it  not  fairly  be  supposed  that  after  such  a 
dreadful  shipwreck  anything  was  considered  preferable  by 
the  major  portion  of  them,  especially  the  passengers,  to 
re-embarking  ? " 

"  It  may  be  so  ;  but  still  it  was  a  feeling  that  was  to 
be  surmounted,  and  would  have  been,  had  they  been 
counselled  by  a  judicious  leader,  for  he  might  fairly  have 
pointed  out  to  them, — without  re-embarkation,  how  are 
you  to  arrive  in  England  ?  " 

"  Very  true,  uncle.     Pray  continue." 

"  From  the  accounts  given  by  the  seamen  who  returned, 
before  they  had  travelled  a  week,  they  were  attacked  by 
a  large  party  of  natives,  to  whose  blows  and  ill-treatment 
as  they  passed  along,  they  had  hitherto  submitted,  but  as 
in  this  instance  the  natives  appeared  determined  to  massacre 
them,  they  resisted  as  well  as  they  could,  and,  being  nearly 
one  hundred  men  in  force,  succeeded  in  driving  them  off; 
not  without  receiving  many  severe  wounds.  After  a  few 
days'  more  travelling,  their  provisions  were  all  expended, 
and  the  seamen  began  to  murmur,  and  resolve  to  take  care 
of  themselves,  and  not  be  encumbered  with  women  and 
children.  The  consequence  was  that  forty-three  of  the 
number  separated  from  the  rest,  leaving  the  captain,  and 
all  the  male  and  female  passengers  and  children  (my  dear 
Elizabeth  among  them)  to  get  on  as  they  could." 


The  Mission  9 

"How  cruel!" 

"  Yes  !  but  self-preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature, 
and  I  fear  it  is  in  vain  to  expect,  that  persons  not  under 
the  influence  of  religious  principles  will  risk  their  lives, 
or  submit  to  much  self-denial,  for  the  sake  of  alleviating 
the  miseries  of  others.  The  reason  given  for  this  separa- 
tion was,  that  it  was  impossible  to  procure  food  for  so 
large  a  number,  and  that  they  would  be  more  likely  to 
obtain  sustenance  when  divided.  The  party  who  thus 
proceeded  in  advance  encountered  the  most  terrible 
difficulties ;  they  coasted  along  the  seashore  because  they 
had  no  other  food  than  the  shell-fish  found  on  the  rocks  ; 
they  had  continually  to  cross  rivers  from  a  mile  to  two 
miles  wide  ;  they  were  kept  from  their  slumber  by  the 
wild  beasts  which  prowled  around  them,  and  at  length 
they  endured  so  much  from  want  of  water,  that  their 
sufferings  were  extreme.  They  again  subdivided  and 
separated,  wandering  they  hardly  knew  where,  exposed 
to  a  burning  sun,  without  clothing  and  without  food. 
One  by  one  they  sat  down  and  were  left  behind  to  die, 
or  to  be  devoured  by  the  wild  beasts  before  they  were 
dead.  At  last  they  were  reduced  to  such  extremity,  that 
they  proposed  to  cast  lots  for  one  to  be  killed  to  support 
the  others  ;  they  turned  back  on  their  route,  that  they 
might  find  the  dead  bodies  of  their  companions  for  food. 
Finally,  out  of  the  whole  crew,  three  or  four,  purblind 
and  staggering  from  exhaustion,  craving  for  death,  arrived 
at  the  borders  of  the  colony,  where  they  were  kindly 
received  and  gradually  recovered." 

"  You  now  speak  of  the  first  party  who  separated  from 
the  captain  and  the  passengers,  do  you  not,  uncle  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  what  became  of  the  captain's  party  ?" 

"  No  tidings  were  heard  of  them  ;  their  fate  was  un- 
known ;  it  was  long  supposed  that  they  had  all  perished  ; 
for  if  the  sufferings  of  the  seamen,  inured  to  toil  and 
danger,  had  been  so  great,  what  chance  was  there  for 
helpless  women   and   children  ?      But   after  some   years, 


io  The  Mission 

there  was  a  report  that  they  had  been  saved,  and  were 
living  with  the  savages.  Le  Vaillant  first  mentioned  it, 
and  then  it  died  away,  and  was  not  credited ;  but  since 
that,  the  reports  of  various  travellers  appear  to  give  con- 
firmation to  what  Le  Vaillant  asserted.  The  paragraph 
you  have  now  read  in  the  newspaper  has  again  renewed 
the  assertion,  and  the  parties  from  whom  it  proceeds  are 
by  all  accounts  worthy  of  credence.  You  may  imagine, 
my  dear  boy,  what  a  pang  it  gives  me  when  I  read  these 
reports, — when  I  reflect  that  my  poor  girl,  who  was  with 
that  party,  may  at  this  moment  be  alive,  may  have  returned 
to  a  state  of  barbarism, — the  seeds  of  faith  long  dead  in 
her  bosom, — now  changed  to  a  wild  untutored  savage, 
knowing  no  God." 

"  But,  my  dear  uncle,  allowing  that  my  aunt  is  alive, 
she  was  not  so  young  at  the  time  of  the  wreck  as  to 
forget  entirely  what  she  had  been  taught." 

"  That  is  possible;  but  then  her  condition  must  be  still 
more  painful,  or  rather  I  should  say  must  have  been,  for 
probably  she  is  dead  long  before  this,  or  if  not  dead,  she 
must  be  a  woman  advanced  in  life  j  indeed,  as  you  may 
observe  in  the  account  given  by  the  traveller  in  the  para- 
graph you  have  read,  it  speaks  only  of  the  descendants  of 
those  who  were  lost  in  the  Grosvenor.  The  idea  of  my 
grandchildren  having  returned  to  a  state  of  barbarism  is 
painful  enough ;  I  wish  it  were  possible  that  I  could  dis- 
cover the  truth  ;  for  it  is  the  uncertainty  which  so  much 
distresses  me.  I  have  but  a  few  years  to  live,  Alexander ; 
I  am  a  very  old  man,  as  you  know,  and  may  be  summoned 
to-morrow  or  to-night,  for  we  know  not  what  a  day  may 
bring  forth.  If  I  were  only  certain  that  my  child  had 
died,  miserable  as  her  death  must  have  been,  it  would  be 
happiness  to  the  idea  that  she  was  one  of  those  whose 
descendants  they  speak  of.  If  you  knew  how  for  the  last 
thirty  years  this  has  preyed  upon  my  mind,  you  would 
comprehend  my  anxiety  on  this  account ;  but  God's  will 
be  done.  Do  not  let  me  detain  you  longer,  Alexander ;  I 
should  prefer  being  alone." 


The  Mission  1 1 

Alexander,  at  this  intimation,  took  the  proffered  hand  of 
his  grand-uncle  in  a  reverential  and  feeling  manner,  and, 
without  saying  any  more,  quitted  the  room. 


Chapter  II 

The  conversation  which  he  had  had  with  his  grand-uncle 
made  a  very  forcible  impression  upon  Alexander  "Wilmot ; 
it  occasioned  him  to  pass  a  very  sleepless  night,  and  he 
remained  till  nearly  four  o'clock  turning  it  over  in  his 
mind.  The  loss  of  the  Grosvenor  Indiaman  had  occurred 
long  before  he  was  born ;  he  was  acquainted  with  the 
outline  of  what  had  taken  place,  and  had  been  told,  when 
a  child,  that  a  relation  of  his  family  had  perished ;  but 
although  the  narrative  had,  at  the  time,  made  some  impres- 
sion upon  his  young  mind,  he  had  seldom,  if  ever,  heard  it 
spoken  of  since,  and  may  have  been  said  to  have  almost 
forgotten  it.  He  was  therefore  not  a  little  surprised  when 
he  found  how  great  an  influence  it  had  upon  his  grand- 
uncle,  who  had  never  mentioned  it  to  him  before ;  indeed 
it  had  escaped  Alexander's  memory  that  it  was  his  grand- 
uncle's  only  surviving  daughter  who  had  been  lost  in  the 
vessel. 

Alexander  Wilmot  was  warmly  attached  to  the  old 
gentleman ;  indeed,  he  would  have  been  very  ungrateful 
if  he  had  not  been,  for  it  was  impossible  that  any  one 
could  have  been  treated  with  more  kindness  and  liberality 
than  he  was  by  Sir  Charles.  It  was  but  the  week  before, 
that  he  had  expressed  a  wish  to  travel  on  the  Continent, 
and  Sir  Charles  had  immediately  given  his  consent  that  he 
should  remain  abroad,  if  he  pleased,  for  two  years.  When 
he  approved,  however,  of  Alexander's  plans,  he  had  made  a 
remark  as  to  his  own  age  and  infirmity,  and  the  probable 
chance  that  they  might  not  meet  again  in  this  world  ;  and 
this  remark  of  his  grand-uncle  left  such  an  impression 
upon  Alexander,  that  he  almost  repented  having  made  the 


12  The  Mission 

request,  and  had  been  ever  since  in  a  state  of  indecision  as 
to  whether  he  should  avail  himself  of  his  grand-uncle's 
kindness  and  disregard  of  self,  shown  towards  him  in  thus 
having  granted  his  permission. 

The  conversation  with  Sir  Charles  had  brought  up  a 
new  idea  in  his  mind  j  he  had  witnessed  the  anxiety  and 
longing  which  his  good  old  relation  had  shown  about  the 
fate  of  his  daughter  j  he  had  heard  from  his  own  lips  how 
long  the  ignorance  of  her  fate  had  preyed  upon  his  mind, 
and  that  to  be  satisfied  on  this  point  was  the  one  thing 
wanting  to  enable  the  old  man  to  die  happy, — to  permit 
him  to  say  with  sincerity,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  thy 
servant  depart  in  peace."  Why,  then,  should  he  not  go 
to  discover  the  truth  ?  It  would  not,  perhaps,  occupy 
him  so  long  as  the  two  years  of  travelling  on  the  Con- 
tinent, which  had  been  consented  to  by  his  grand-uncle, 
and  instead  of  travelling  for  his  own  pleasure,  he  might  be 
the  means  of  satisfying  the  mind  and  quieting  the  anxiety 
of  one  who  had  been  so  kind  to  him.  Indeed,  he  should 
actually  prefer  a  journey  into  the  interior  of  Africa  to  a 
mere  sojourn  of  some  time  on  the  Continent ;  the  very 
peril  and  danger,  the  anticipation  of  distress  and  hardship, 
were  pleasing  to  his  high  and  courageous  mind,  and  before 
he  fell  asleep,  Alexander  had  made  up  his  mind  that  he 
would  propose  the  expedition,  and  if  he  could  obtain  his 
uncle's  permission,  would  proceed  upon  it  forthwith. 
Having  come  to  this  resolution,  he  fell  fast  asleep  and 
dreamed  away,  till  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning,  that  he 
was  hunting  elephants,  and  having  hand-to-hand  conflicts 
with  every  variety  of  beast,  with  which  he  had  peopled 
Africa  in  his  fancy.  When  he  was  called  up  in  the 
morning,  he  found  his  determination  of  the  night  before 
rather  strengthened  than  otherwise,  and  accordingly,  after 
breakfast  was  over,  he  opened  the  subject. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  he  to  Sir  Charles,  "  you  were  kind 
enough  to  give  me  your  permission  to  travel  on  the  Con- 
tinent for  two  years." 

"I  did  do  so,  Alexander  ;  it  is  natural  at  your  age  that 


The  Mission  13 

you  should  wish  to  see  the  world,  and  you  have  my  full 
permission.     When  do  you  think  of  starting  ? " 

"  That  depends  upon  circumstances,  sir,  and  I  must  be 
altogether  guided  by  you  ;  to  tell  you  the  truth,  I  do  not 
think  that  one  sees  much  of  the  world  by  following  in  the 
beaten  track  made  by  so  many  of  our  countrymen." 

"  There  I  agree  with  you  ;  in  the  present  high  state  of 
civilisation  there  will  be  found  little  or  no  difference  in 
the  manners  and  customs  of  people  ;  in  the  Courts,  none  ; 
very  little  in  the  best  society,  in  which  you  will  of  course 
mix ;  and  not  so  very  much  as  people  may  imagine  among 
the  mass  of  population  ;  but  the  scenery  of  the  countries 
and  the  remains  of  ancient  times  are  still  interesting,  and 
will  afford  pleasure  ;  it  must  be  your  own  reflections  and 
comments  upon  what  you  see  which  must  make  it  profit- 
able ;  most  people,  however,  travel  from  the  love  of 
change,  added  to  the  love  of  excitement." 

"I  grant  it,  sir,  and  I  do  not  mean  to  say  but  that  I 
should  receive  much  pleasure  from  a  Continental  tour  ; 
perhaps,  I  may  add,  that  I  should  derive  more  profit  if  I 
were  to  delay  it  till  I  am  a  little  older  and  a  little  wiser  •, 
do  you  not  think  so  ?  " 

"  I  certainly  do,  Alexander.  What  then  ?  do  you 
propose  remaining  in  England  for  the  present  ? — if  so,  I 
am  sure  it  is  on  my  account,  and  I  am  very  grateful  to  you 
for  your  sacrifice." 

"  If  you  wish  it,  sir,  I  will  undoubtedly  remain  in 
England ;  at  all  events,  if  I  do  not  go  elsewhere,  I  have 
abandoned  my  Continental  tour  for  the  present  5  but  I 
have  another  proposal  to  make,  which  I  hope  will  meet 
with  your  approbation." 

"  Why,  my  dear  Alexander,  on  what  expedition  would 
you  now  proceed  ?  Do  you  wish  to  visit  the  United 
States,  or  South  America  ? " 

"No,  sir j  I  wish  to  make  a  voyage  of  still  more 
interest — I  wish  to  go  to  Africa,  that  is,  to  embark  for  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  from  thence  proceed  to  the 
northward,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  what  now  is  a  source 


14  The  Mission 

of  sad  disquiet  to  you,  the  actual  fate  of  those  who  were 
wrecked  in  the  Grosvenor,  and  have  not  since  been  heard 
of  with  any  degree  of  certainty." 

Sir  Charles  was  for  a  time  silent.  He  pressed  his  hands 
to  his  forehead;  at  last  he  removed  them,  and  said, — "  I 
cannot,  much  as  I  wish  it,  no — I  cannot  consent,  my  dear 
boy  j  the  danger  will  be  too  great.  You  must  not  risk 
your  life.  It  is  very  kind  of  you — very  kind  ;  but  no,  it 
must  not  be." 

"  Indeed,  sir,  I  think,  on  reflection,  you  will  alter  your 
mind.  As  for  danger — what  danger  can  there  be  when 
missionaries  are  permitted  to  form  their  stations,  and  reside 
uninjured  among  the  very  savages  who  were  so  hostile 
when  the  Grosvenor  was  lost  ?  The  country,  which  was 
then  a  desert,  is  now  inhabited  by  Europeans,  within  200 
miles  of  the  very  spot  where  the  Grosvenor  was  wrecked. 
The  continual  emigration  since  the  Cape  has  fallen  under 
British  government,  and  the  zeal  of  those  who  have  braved 
all  dangers  to  make  known  the  "Word  of  God  to  the 
heathen  and  idolater,  have  in  forty  years  made  such  an 
alteration,  that  I  see  no  more  danger  in  the  mission  which 
I  propose,  than  I  do  in  a  visit  to  Naples  ;  and  as  for  time, 
I  have  every  reason  to  expect  that  I  shall  be  back  sooner 
than  in  the  two  years  which  you  have  proposed  for  my 
stay  on  the  Continent." 

"But  if  some  accident  were  to  happen  to  you,  I  should 
never  forgive  myself  for  having  given  my  consent,  and 
the  few  days  that  are  left  to  me  would  be  rendered 
miserable." 

"  My  dear  sir,  we  are  in  the  hands  of  God  j  and  (short- 
sighted as  we  are)  in  running  away  from  danger,  as  often 
run  into  it.  What  we  call  an  accident,  the  fall  of  a  brick 
or  a  stone,  the  upsetting  of  a  vehicle,  anything  however 
trivial,  or  seemingly  improbable,  may  summon  us  away 
when  we  least  expect  it ;  'In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in 
death,'  and  that  death  I  may  meet  by  staying  in  this 
country,  which  I  might  have  avoided  by  going  on  this 
expedition.     Difficulties  may  arise,  and  some  danger  there 


The  Mission  15 

may  be,  I  admit ;  but  when  prepared  to  encounter  both, 
we  are  more  safe  than  when,  in  fancied  security,  we  are 
taken  unawares.  Do  not,  I  entreat  you,  sir,  refuse  me 
this  favour  j  I  have  considered  well,  and  shall  be  most 
unhappy  if  I  am  not  permitted  to  obtain  the  information 
for  you  which  you  have  so  much  at  heart.  Let  my  travels 
be  of  some  advantage  to  you  as  well  as  to  myself.  Do  not 
refuse,  I  entreat  you." 

"  You  are  a  good  boy,  Alexander,  and  your  kindness 
makes  me  still  more  unwilling  to  part  with  you.  I  hardly 
know  what  to  say.  Let  us  drop  the  subject  for  the 
present ;  we  will  talk  of  it  to-morrow  or  next  day.  I 
must  have  time  for  reflection." 

Alexander  Wilmot  did  not  fail  to  renew  his  entreaties 
on  the  following  day,  but  could  not  gain  Sir  Charles's 
consent.  He  was  not,  however,  discouraged.  He  had 
taken  from  the  library  all  the  works  he  could  find  relative 
to  Southern  Africa,  and  continually  enforcing  his  arguments 
by  quotations  from  various  authors,  all  tending  to  prove 
that  he  might  travel  through  the  country  without  much 
risk,  if  he  took  proper  precautions,  his  grand-uncle's  objec- 
tions grew  daily  more  feeble,  and  at  last  Sir  Charles  gave 
his  unwilling  consent.  In  the  meantime,  the  books  which 
Alexander  had  read  had  produced  a  great  effect  upon  him. 
When  he  first  proposed  the  mission,  it  was  more  from  a 
feeling  of  gratitude  towards  his  old  relative  than  any  other, 
but  now  he  was  most  anxious  to  go  on  his  own  account. 
The  narratives  of  combats  with  wild  beasts,  the  quantity 
and  variety  of  game  to  be  found,  and  the  continual  excite- 
ment which  would  be  kept  up,  inflamed  his  imagination 
and  his  love  of  field  sports,  and  he  earnestly  requested  to 
be  permitted  to  depart  immediately,  pointing  out  to  Sir 
Charles  that  the  sooner  he  went  away,  the  sooner  he  would 
be  back  again.  This  last  argument  was  not  without  .its 
weight,  and  Alexander  was  allowed  to  make  every  prepara- 
tion for  his  journey.  Inquiries  were  made,  and  a  passage 
secured  on  board  of  a  free-trader,  which  was  to  touch  at 
the  Cape,  and  in  six  weeks  from  the  time  that  the  subject 


1 6  The  Mission 

had  been  brought  up,  Alexander  Wilmot  took  leave  of  his 
grand-uncle. 

"  May  God  bless  you,  sir,  and  keep  you  well  till  my 
return,"  said  Alexander,  pressing  his  hand. 

"  May  the  Lord  protect  you,  my  dear  boy,  and  allow 
you  to  return  and  close  my  eyes,"  replied  Sir  Charles, 
with  much  emotion. 

Before  night  Alexander  Wilmot  was  in  London,  from 
thence  he  hastened  down  to  Portsmouth,  to  embark.  The 
next  day,  the  Surprise  weighed  anchor,  and  ran  through 
the  Needles,  and  before  the  night  closed  in  was  well  down 
the  Channel,  standing  before  the  wind,  with  studding  sails 
below  and  aloft. 


Chapter  III 

A  melancholy  feeling  clouded  the  features  of  Alexander 
Wilmot  as,  on  the  following  morning,  the  vessel,  under  a 
heavy  press  of  sail,  was  fast  leaving  the  shores  of  his 
native  country.  He  remained  on  the  poop  of  the  vessel 
with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  land  which  every  moment 
became  more  indistinct.  His  thoughts  may  be  easily 
imagined.  Shall  I  ever  see  that  land  again  ?  Shall  I  ever 
return,  or  shall  my  bones  remain  in  Africa,  perhaps  not 
even  buried,  but  bleaching  in  the  desert  ?  And  if  I  do 
return,  shall  I  find  my  old  relation  still  alive,  or  called 
away,  loaded  as  he  is  with  years,  to  the  silent  tomb  ? 
We  are  in  the  hands  of  a  gracious  God.  His  will  be 
done. 

Alexander  turned  away,  as  the  land  had  at  last  become 
no  longer  visible,  and  found  a  young  man  of  about  his  own 
age  standing  close  to  him,  and  apparently  as  much  lost  in 
reverie  as  he  had  been.  As  in  turning  round  Alexander 
brushed  against  him,  he  thought  it  right  to  apologise 
for  the  unintentional  act,  and  this  occasioned  a  con- 
versation. 


The  Mission  17 

"  I  believe,  sir,"  said  the  other  party,  who  was  a  tall, 
spare,  slight-built  man,  with  a  dark  complexion,  "  that 
we  were  both  indulging  in  similar  thoughts  as  we  took 
leave  of  our  native  shores.  Every  Englishman  does  the 
same,  and  indeed  every  true  lover  of  his  country,  let  the 
country  be  what  it  will.  We  find  the  feeling  as  strong  in 
the  savage  as  in  the  enlightened ;  it  is  universal.  Indeed, 
we  may  fairly  say  that  it  extends  lower — down  to  the 
brute  species,  from  their  love  of  localities." 

"Very  true,  sir,"  replied  Alexander,  "  but  with  brutes, 
as  you  say,  it  is  merely  the  love  of  locality  ;  with  men,  I 
trust,  the  feeling  is  more  generous  and  noble." 

"So  it  ought  to  be,  or  else  why  are  we  so  much  more 
nobly  endowed  ?  This  is  not  your  first  voyage,  I  pre- 
sume ?  "  continued  the  stranger. 

"  Indeed,  it  is,"  said  Alexander ;  "  I  never  was  out  of 
England,  or  on  board  of  a  vessel,  before  yesterday." 

"  I  should  have  imagined  otherwise,"  remarked  his 
companion  ;  "  the  other  passengers  are  all  suffering  from 
sea-sickness,  while  you  and  I  only  are  on  the  deck.  I 
presumed,  therefore,  that  you  had  been  afloat  before." 

"  I  did  feel  very  giddy  yesterday  evening,"  observed 
Alexander,  "  but  this  morning  I  have  no  unpleasant 
sensation  whatever.  I  believe  that  some  people  do  not 
suffer  at  sea." 

"  A  very  few ;  but  it  appears  that  you  are  one  of  those 
most  fortunate,  for,  by  experience,  I  know  how  painful 
and  distressing  the  sickness  is  for  some  time.  Breakfast 
will  soon  be  ready ;  do  you  think  that  you  can  eat  any  ?  " 

"  Yes,  a  little — not  much ;  a  cup  of  tea  or  coffee," 
replied  Alexander ;  "  but  I  cannot  say  that  I  have  my 
usual  appetite.  "What  bird  is  that  which  skims  along  the 
water  ? " 

"  It  is  the  Procellarius,  as  we  naturalists  call  it,  but  in 
English,  the  Stormy  Petrel ;  its  presence  denotes  rough 
weather  coming  on." 

"  Then  I  wish  it  had  not  made  its  appearance,"  said 
Alexander,  laughing,  "  for  with  rough  weather,  there  will 

M  B 


1 8  The  Mission 

of  course  be  more  motion  in  the  vessel,  and  I  feel  the 
motion  too  much  already." 

"  I  think  if  you  eat  your  breakfast  (although  without 
appetite),  and  keep  on  deck,  you  may  get  over  any  further 
indisposition,"  replied  the  stranger. 

"  Have  we  many  passengers  on  board  ?  " 

"  No ;  nine  or  ten,  which  is  considered  a  small  number, 
at  least  by  the  captain,  who  was  complaining  of  his  ill-luck. 
They  are  mostly  females  and  children.  There  is  a  Cape 
gentleman  who  has  long  resided  in  the  colony,  and  is  now 
returning  there.  I  have  had  some  conversation  with  him, 
and  he  appears  a  very  intelligent  person.  But  here  is  the 
steward  coming  aft,  to  let  us  know  that  breakfast  is  ready." 

The  person  who  had  thus  conversed  with  Alexander 
Wilmot  was  a  Mr  Swinton,  who,  as  he  had  accidentally 
observed,  was  a  naturalist  ;  he  was  a  person  of  some 
independent  property,  whose  ardour  for  science  had 
induced  him  to  engage  in  no  profession,  being  perfectly 
satisfied  with  his  income,  which  was  sufficient  for  his  wants, 
and  to  enable  him  to  follow  up  his  favourite  study.  He  was 
now  on  his  passage  to  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  with  no 
other  object  than  to  examine  the  natural  productions  of  that 
country,  and  to  prosecute  his  researches  in  science  there,  to 
a  greater  extent  than  had  hitherto  been  practicable. 

Before  they  had  arrived  at  Madeira,  at  which  island  the 
ship  remained  three  days  to  take  in  wine  and  fresh  pro- 
visions, a  great  intimacy  had  been  established  between 
Alexander  and  Mr  Swinton,  although  as  yet  neither  knew 
the  cause  of  the  other's  voyage  to  the  Cape  ;  they  were 
both  too  delicate  to  make  the  inquiry,  and  waited  till  the 
other  should  of  his  own  accord  impart  his  reasons. 

We  have  mentioned  that  there  were  other  passengers, 
one  of  whom  was  a  gentleman  who  resided  in  Cape  Town, 
and  who  held  a  lucrative  situation  under  the  Government. 
He  was  an  elderly  gentleman,  of  about  sixty  years  of  age, 
of  a  very  benign  and  prepossessing  appearance  ;  and  it  so 
happened  that  Alexander  found  out,  on  looking  over  his 
letters  of  introduction  when  at  anchor  at  Madeira,  that  he 


The  Mission  19 

possessed  one  to  this  gentleman.  This,  of  course,  he  pre- 
sented at  once,  although  they  were  already  on  intimate 
terms  ;  and  this  introduction  made  Mr  Fairburn  (for  such 
was  his  name)  take  an  immediate  interest  in  his  welfare, 
and  also  warranted  his  putting  the  question  as  to  what 
were  Alexander's  views  and  intentions  in  visiting  the  Cape  : 
for  Mr  Fairburn  knew  from  the  letter  that  he  was  heir  to 
Sir  Charles  Wilmot,  and  therefore  that  he  was  not  likely 
to  be  going  out  as  a  speculator  or  emigrant. 

It  hardly  need  be  said,  that  Alexander  made  no  hesita- 
tion in  confiding  to  one  who  could  so  materially  assist  him 
in  the  object  of  his  voyage. 

The  other  passengers  were  three  young  ladies  bound  to 
their  friends  in  India,  and  a  lady  returning  with  her  two 
marriageable  daughters  to  rejoin  her  husband,  who  was  a 
colonel  in  the  Bengal  army.  They  were  all  pleasant  people, 
the  young  ladies  very  lively,  and  on  the  whole  the  cabin 
of  the  Surprise  contained  a  very  agreeable  party  ;  and  soon 
after  they  left  Madeira,  they  had  fine  weather,  smooth 
water,  and  everything  that  could  make  a  voyage  endurable. 

The  awnings  were  spread,  chairs  brought  up,  and  the 
major  portion  of  the  day  was  spent  upon  the  quarter-deck 
and  poop  of  the  vessel,  which  for  many  days  had  been 
running  down  before  the  trade-winds,  intending  to  make 
Rio,  and  there  lay  in  a  supply  of  fresh  provisions  for 
the  remainder  of  her  voyage. 

One  morning,  as  Alexander  and  Mr  Fairburn  were 
sitting  together,  Alexander  observed — 

"  You  have  passed  many  years  at  the  Cape,  Mr  Fair- 
burn,  have  you  not  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  was  taken  prisoner  when  returning  from  India, 
and  remained  a  year  in  Cape  Town  during  the  time  that  it 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  Dutch  j  I  was  about  to  be  sent 
home  as  a  prisoner  to  Holland,  and  was  embarked  on 
board  of  one  of  the  vessels  in  Saldanha  Bay,  when  they 
were  attacked  by  the  English.  Afterwards,  when  the 
English  captured  the  Cape,  from  my  long  residence  in, 
and  knowledge  of,  the  country,  I  was  offered  a  situation, 


20  The  Mission 

which  I  accepted :  the  colony  was  restored  to  the  Dutch, 
and  I  came  home.  On  its  second  capture,  I  was  again 
appointed,  and  have  been  there  almost  ever  since." 

"  Then  you  are  well  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the 
colony." 

"  I  am,  certainly,  and  if  you  wish  it,  shall  be  happy 
to  give  you  a  short  account  of  it." 

"  It  will  give  me  the  greatest  pleasure,  for  I  must 
acknowledge  that  I  know  but  little,  and  that  I  have 
gleaned  from  the  travels  which  I  have  run  through  very 
hastily." 

"  I  think  it  was  in  the  year  1652  that  the  Dutch 
decided  upon  making  a  settlement  at  the  Cape.  The 
aborigines,  or  natives,  who  inhabited  that  part  of  the 
country  about  Cape  Town,  were  the  Hottentots,  a  mild, 
inoffensive  people,  living  wholly  upon  the  produce  of  their 
cattle ;  they  were  not  agriculturists,  but  possessed  large 
herds  of  cattle,  sheep,  and  goats,  which  ranged  the 
extensive  pastures  of  the  country.  The  history  of  the 
founding  of  one  colony  is,  I  fear,  the  history  of  most,  if 
not  all — commencing  in  doing  all  that  is  possible  to  obtain 
the  good-will  of  the  people  until  a  firm  footing  has  been 
obtained  in  the  land,  and  then  treating  them  with  bar- 
barity and  injustice. 

"  The  Hottentots,  won  over  by  kindness  and  presents, 
thought  it  of  little  consequence  that  strangers  should 
possess  a  small  portion  of  their  extensive  territory,  and 
willingly  consented  that  the  settlement  should  be  made. 
They,  for  the  first  time  in  their  lives,  tasted,  what  proved 
the  cause  of  their  ruin  and  subsequent  slavery,  tobacco  and 
strong  liquors.  These  two  poisons,  offered  gratuitously, 
till  the  poor  Hottentots  had  acquired  a  passion  for  them, 
then  became  an  object  of  barter — a  pipe  of  tobacco  or 
a  glass  of  brandy  was  the  price  of  an  ox,  and  thus  daily 
were  the  colonists  becoming  enriched,  and  the  Hottentots 
poor. 

"  The  colony  rapidly  increased,  until  it  was  so  strong, 
that  the  Governor  made  no  ceremony  of  seizing  upon  such 


The  Mission  21 

land  as  the  Government  wished  to  retain  or  to  give  away  ; 
and  the  Hottentots  soon  discovered  that  not  only  their 
cattle,  but  the  means  of  feeding  them  were  taken  from 
them.  Eventually,  they  were  stripped  of  everything 
except  their  passion  for  tobacco  and  spirits,  which  they 
could  not  get  rid  of.  Unwilling  to  leave  the  land  of  their 
forefathers,  and  seeing  no  other  way  of  procui"ing  the 
means  of  intoxication  which  they  coveted,  they  sold  them- 
selves and  their  services  to  the  white  colonists,  content  to 
take  care  of  those  herds  which  had  once  been  their  own, 
and  to  lead  them  out  to  pasture  on  the  very  lands  which 
had  once  been  their  birthright." 

"Did  they  then  become  slaves  ?"  inquired  Alexander. 

"  No  j  although  much  worse  treated,  they  never  were 
slaves,  and  I  wished  to  point  that  out ;  but  they  became  a 
sort  of  feudal  property  of  the  Dutch,  compelled  to  hire 
themselves  out,  and  to  work  for  them  upon  nominal  wages, 
which  they  seldom  or  never  received,  and  liable  to  every 
species  of  harsh  treatment  and  cruelty,  for  which  they 
could  obtain  no  redress.  Yet  still  they  were  not  bought 
and  sold  as  were  the  slaves  which  were  subsequently  intro- 
duced into  the  colony  from  the  east  coast  of  Africa  and 
Madagascar.  The  position  of  the  slaves  was,  in  my  opinion, 
infinitely  superior,  merely  from  the  self-interest  of  the 
owner,  who  would  not  kill  or  risk  the  life  of  a  creature 
for  whom  he  had  paid  two  or  three  hundred  rix-dollars  ; 
whereas,  the  Dutch  boors,  or  planters,  thought  little  of 
the  life  of  a  Hottentot.  If  the  cattle  were  to  be  watched 
where  lions  were  plentiful,  it  was  not  a  slave  who  had 
charge  of  them,  but  a  Hottentot,  as  he  had  cost  nothing, 
and  the  planter  could  procure  another.  In  short,  the  life 
of  a  Hottentot  was  considered  as  of  no  value,  and  there  is 
no  denying  that  they  were  shot  by  their  masters  or 
employers  upon  the  most  trifling  offence." 

"  How  dreadful  !  but  did  the  Dutch  Government  suffer 
this?" 

"  They  could  not  well  help  it,  and  therefore  were  com- 
pelled to  wink  at  it :  the  criminals  were  beyond  its  reach. 


22  The  Mission 

But  now  I  will  proceed  to  give  you  some  further  insight, 
by  describing  the  Dutch  boors  or  planters,  who  usurped 
and  stood  in  the  shoes  of  the  poor  Hottentots. 

"  The  Dutch  Government  seized  upon  all  the  land  be- 
longing to  the  Hottentots,  and  gave  it  away  in  grants  to 
their  own  countrymen,  who  now  became  herdsmen,  and 
possessed  of  a  large  quantity  of  cattle  ;  they  also  cultivated 
the  ground  to  a  certain  extent  round  about  their  habita- 
tions. As  the  colony  increased,  so  did  the  demand  for 
land,  until  the  whole  of  the  country  that  was  worth  having 
was  disposed  of  as  far  as  to  the  country  of  the  Caffres,  a 
fine  warlike  race,  of  whom  we  will  speak  hereafter.  It 
must  not,  however,  be  supposed  that  the  whole  of  the 
Hottentot  tribes  became  serfs  to  the  soil.  Some  few  drove 
away  their  cattle  to  the  northward,  out  of  reach  of  the 
Dutch,  to  the  borders  of  the  Caffre  land  ;  others,  deprived 
of  their  property,  left  the  plains,  and  took  to  the  mountains, 
living  by  the  chase  and  by  plunder.  This  portion  were 
termed  boshmen,  or  bushmen,  and  have  still  retained  that 
appellation  :  living  in  extreme  destitution,  sleeping  in  caves, 
constantly  in  a  state  of  starvation,  they  soon  dwindled  down 
to  a  very  diminutive  race,  and  have  continued  so  ever 
since. 

"  The  Dutch  boors,  or  planters,  who  lived  in  the  interior 
and  far  away  from  Cape  Town,  had  many  enemies  to  con- 
tend with :  they  had  the  various  beasts  of  the  forest,  from 
the  lion  to  the  jackal,  which  devastated  their  flocks  and 
herds,  and  also  these  bushmen,  who  lived  upon  plunder. 
Continually  in  danger,  they  were  never  without  their 
muskets  in  their  hands,  and  they  and  their  descendants 
became  an  athletic,  powerful,  and  bulky  race,  courageous, 
and  skilled  in  the  use  of  firearms,  but  at  the  same  time 
cruel  and  avaricious  to  the  highest  degree.  The  absolute 
power  they  possessed  over  the  slaves  and  Hottentots 
demoralised  them,  and  made  them  tyrannical  and  blood- 
thirsty. At  too  great  a  distance  from  the  seat  of  Govern- 
ment for  its  power  to  reach  them,  they  defied  it,  and  knew 
no  law  but  their  own  imperious  wills,  acknowledging  no 


The  Mission  2,3 

authority, — guilty  of  every  crime  openly,  and  careless  of 
detection." 

"  I  certainly  have  read  of  great  cruelty  on  the  part  of 
these  Dutch  boors,  but  I  had  no  idea  of  the  extent  to 
which  it  was  carried." 

"  The  origin  was  in  that  greatest  of  all  curses,  slavery ; 
nothing  demoralises  so  much.  These  boors  had  been 
brought  up  with  the  idea  that  a  Hottentot,  a  bushman,  or 
a  Caffre,  were  but  as  the  mere  brutes  of  the  field,  and  they 
have  treated  them  as  such.  They  would  be  startled  at  the 
idea  of  murdering  a  white  man,  but  they  will  execute 
wholesale  slaughter  among  these  poor  natives,  and  think 
they  have  committed  no  crime.  But  the  ladies  are  coming 
up,  and  we  shall  be  interrupted,  so  I  will  not  task  your 
patience  any  more  to-day.  I  shall  therefore  conclude  what 
I  may  term  part  the  first  of  my  little  history  of  the  Cape 
colony." 


Chapter  IV 

Alexander  Wilmot  was  too  much  pleased  with  Mr 
Swinton  not  to  cultivate  his  acquaintance,  and  they  soon 
became  very  intimate.  The  conversation  often  turned 
upon  Mr  Swinton's  favourite  study,  that  of  natural  history. 

"  I  confess  myself  wholly  ignorant  of  the  subject," 
observed  Alexander  one  day,  "  though  I  feel  that  it  must 
be  interesting  to  those  who  study  it ;  indeed,  when  I 
have  walked  through  the  museums,  I  have  often  wished 
that  I  had  some  one  near  who  could  explain  to  me  what 
I  wished  to  know  and  was  puzzled  about.  But  it  appears 
to  me  that  the  study  of  natural  history  is  such  an  immense 
undertaking  if  you  comprehend  all  its  branches.  Let  me 
see,  there  is  botany,  mineralogy,  and  geology,  these  are 
included,  are  they  not  ? " 

"  Most  certainly,"  replied  Mr  Swinton,  laughing,  "  and, 
perhaps,  the  three  most  interesting  branches.     Then  you 


24  The  Mission 

have  zoology  or  the  study  of  animals,  ornithology  for 
birds,  entomology  for  insects,  conchology  for  shells, 
ichthyology  for  fishes ;  all  very  hard  names,  and  enough 
to  frighten  a  young  beginner.  But  I  can  assure  you  a 
knowledge  of  these  subjects,  to  an  extent  sufficient  to 
create  interest  and  afford  continual  amusement,  is  very 
easily  acquired." 

"  '  The  proper  study  of  mankind  is  man,'  says  the  poet," 
— observed  Alexander,  smiling. 

"  Poets  deal  in  fiction,  Mr  Wilmot,"  replied  Mr 
Swinton ;  "  to  study  man,  is  only  to  study  his  incon- 
sistencies and  his  aberrations  from  the  right  path,  which 
the  free-will  permitted  to  him  induces  him  to  follow ; 
but  in  the  study  of  nature,  you  witness  the  directing 
power  of  the  Almighty,  who  guides  with  an  unerring 
hand,  and  who  has  so  wonderfully  apportioned  out  to 
all  animals  the  means  of  their  providing  for  themselves. 
Not  only  the  external,  but  the  inward  structure  of  animals, 
shows  such  variety,  and  ingenuity  to  surmount  all 
difficulties,  and  to  afford  them  all  the  enjoyment  their 
nature  is  capable  of,  that  after  every  examination  you 
rise  with  increased  astonishment  and  admiration  at  the 
condescension  and  goodness  of  the  Master  Hand,  thus  to 
calculate  and  provide  for  the  necessities  of  the  smallest 
insect ;  and  you  are  compelled  to  exclaim  with  the 
Psalmist,  '  Oh,  God,  how  manifold  are  thy  works  ;  in 
wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all ! ' " 

"  You  certainly  do  put  the  study  in  a  new  and  most 
pleasureable  light,"  replied  Alexander. 

"The  more  you  search  into  nature,  the  more  wonderful 
do  you  find  her  secrets,  and,  by  the  aid  of  chemistry,  we 
are  continually  making  new  discoveries.  Observe,  Mr 
Wilmot,"  said  Swinton,  picking  up  a  straw  which  had 
been  blown  by  the  wind  on  the  quarter-deck,  "  do  you 
consider  that  there  is  any  analogy  between  this  straw  and 
the  flint  in  the  lock  of  that  gun  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  I  should  imagine  them  as  opposite  particles 
of  nature  as  well  might  be." 


The  Mission  25 

"  Such  is  not  the  case.  This  piece  of  wheat-straw 
contains  more  than  sixty  per  cent,  of  silica  or  flint  in  its 
composition,  so  that,  although  a  vegetable,  it  is  nearly 
two-thirds  composed  of  the  hardest  mineral  substance 
we  know  of.  You  would  scarcely  believe  that  the  fibres 
of  the  root  of  this  plant  were  capable  of  dissolving,  feed- 
ing upon,  and  digesting,  such  a  hard  substance ;  but  so  it 
is." 

"  It  is  very  wonderful." 

"  It  is,  but  it  is  not  a  solitary  instance  j  the  phosphate 
of  lime,  which  is  the  chief  component  part  of  the  bones 
of  animals,  is  equally  sought  by  plants,  dissolved  in  the 
same  manner,  and  taken  into  their  bodies ;  barley  and 
oats  have  about  thirty  per  cent,  of  it  in  their  composition, 
and  most  woods  and  plants  have  more  or  less." 

"  I  am  less  surprised  at  that  than  I  am  with  the  flint, 
which  appears  almost  incomprehensible." 

"Nothing  is  impossible  with  God;  there  is  a  rush  in 
Holland  which  contains  much  more  silex  than  the  wheat- 
straw,  and  it  is  employed  by  the  Dutch  to  polish  wood 
and  brass  on  that  very  account.  We  know  but  little 
yet,  but  we  do  know  that  mineral  substances  are  found 
in  the  composition  of  most  living  animals,  if  not  all ; 
indeed,  the  colouring-matter  of  the  blood  is  an  oxide 
and  phosphate  of  iron." 

"I  can  now  understand  why  you  are  so  enthusiastic 
in  the  science,  Mr  Swinton,  and  I  regret  much  that  the 
short  time  which  will  be  occupied  in  the  remainder  of 
our  voyage,  will  not  enable  me  to  profit  as  I  should  wish 
by  your  conversation,  for  when  we  arrive  at  the  Cape, 
I  fear  our  pursuits  will  lead  us  different  ways." 

"I  presume  they  will,  for  I  am  about  to  penetrate  as 
far  as  possible  into  the  interior  of  the  country,"  replied 
Mr  Swinton,  "  which  of  course  is  not  your  intention." 

"  Indeed,  but  it  is,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  I  am  about 
to  do  the  same,  although  perhaps  not  in  the  same  direction. 
May  I  ask  your  intended  route,  if  not  too  inquisitive  ? " 

"  Not   at    all ;    I   can   hardly  say  myself.     I   shall   be 


16  The  Mission 

guided  by  the  protection  I  may  fall  in  with ;  Africa  is 
a  wide  field  for  science,  and  I  can  hardly  go  anywhere 
without  being  well  rewarded  for  my  journey  ;  and  I  will 
say,  that  should  it  meet  both  our  views,  I  should  be  very 
glad  if  we  were  to  travel  in  company." 

Mr  Fairburn,  who  had  come  on  deck,  had  been  standing 
close  to  them  at  the  latter  portion  of  the  conversation, 
and  made  the  observation — 

"  I  think  it  would  be  a  very  good  plan  if  Mr  Swinton 
would  venture  to  go  where  you  are  bound,  Mr  Wilmot, 
but  you  can  talk  of  that  another  day  when  you  have  been 
longer  together.  There  is  nothing  that  requires  more 
deliberation  than  the  choice  of  a  travelling  companion ; 
any  serious  imperfection  of  temper  may  make  a  journey 
very  miserable.  Now,  Wilmot,  if  you  are  tired  of  natural 
history,  and  wish  to  change  it  for  the  painful  history  of 
human  nature,  I  am  ready  to  continue  my  observations." 

"With  great  pleasure,  sir." 

"  I  hope  you  have  no  objection  to  my  reaping  the  benefit 
also  ? "  said  Mr  Swinton. 

"Oh,  most  certainly  not,"  replied  Mr  Fairburn,  "al- 
though I  fear  you  will  not  gain  much  information,  as  you 
have  been  at  the  Cape  before.  In  a  former  conversation 
with  Mr  Wilmot  I  have  pointed  out  the  manner  in  which 
the  Cape  was  first  settled,  and  how  the  settlers  had 
gradually  reduced  the  original  possessors  of  the  land  to 
a  state  of  serfdom ;  I  will  now  continue. 

"  The  Dutch  boors,  as  they  increased  their  wealth  in 
cattle,  required  more  pasture,  and  were  now  occupying 
the  whole  of  the  land  south  of  the  CafTre  country :  the 
Caffres  are  wild,  courageous  savages,  whose  wealth  con- 
sists chiefly  in  cattle,  but  in  some  points  they  may  be 
considered  superior  to  the  Hottentots. 

"  The  weapon  of  the  Hottentot  may  be  said  to  be 
the  bow  and  arrow,  but  the  Caffre  scorns  this  warfare, 
or  indeed  any  treachery ;  his  weapons  are  his  assaguay, 
or  spear,  and  his  shield ;  he  fights  openly  and  bravely. 
The  CafFres  also  cultivate  their  land  to  a  certain  extent, 


The  Mission  27 

and  are  more  cleanly  and  civilised.  The  boors  on  the 
Caffre  frontier  were  often  plundered  by  the  bushmen, 
and  perhaps  occasionally  by  some  few  of  the  Caffres  who 
were  in  a  lawless  state  on  the  frontier ;  but  if  any  com- 
plaint was  made  to  the  CafTre  chiefs,  every  redress  in 
their  power  was  given :  this,  however,  did  not  suit  the 
Dutch  boors. 

"  They  had  entered  the  Caffre  country,  and  had  per- 
ceived that  the  Caffres  possessed  large  herds  of  cattle, 
and  their  avarice  pointed  out  to  them  how  much  easier 
it  would  be  to  grow  rich  by  taking  the  cattle  of  the  Caffres 
than  by  rearing  them  themselves.  If  the  bushmen  stole 
a  few  head  of  cattle,  complaints  were  immediately  for- 
warded to  Cape  Town,  and  permission  asked  to  raise  a 
force,  and  recover  them  from  the  Caffres. 

"  The  force  raised  was  termed  a  Commando,  and  was 
composed  of  all  the  Dutch  boors  and  their  servants,  well 
armed  and  mounted :  these  would  make  an  incursion  into 
the  Caffre  territory,  and  because  a  few  head  of  cattle  had 
been  stolen  by  parties  unknown,  they  would  pour  down 
upon  the  Caffres,  who  had  but  their  assaguays  to  oppose 
to  destructive  firearms,  set  the  kraals  or  villages  in  flames, 
murder  indiscriminately  man,  woman,  and  child,  and  carry 
off,  by  way  of  indemnification  for  some  trifling  loss, 
perhaps  some  twenty  thousand  head  of  cattle  belonging 
to  the  Caffres. 

"  The  Caffres,  naturally  indignant  at  such  outrage  and 
robbery,  made  attacks  upon  the  boors  to  recover  the 
cattle,  but  with  this  difference  between  the  Christian 
boor  and  the  untutored  savage :  the  boors  murdered 
women  and  children  wantonly,  the  Caffres  never  harmed 
them,  and  did  not  even  kill  men,  if  they  could  obtain 
possession  of  their  property  without  bloodshed." 

"But  how  could  the  Dutch  Government  permit  such 
atrocities  ? " 

"  The  representations  made  to  the  Government  were 
believed,  and  the  order  was  given  in  consequence.  It  is 
true  that  afterwards  the  Government  attempted  to  put  a 


28  The  Mission 

stop  to  these  horrors,  but  the  boors  were  beyond  their 
control ;  and  in  one  instance  in  which  the  Home  Govern- 
ment had  insisted  that  punishment  should  be  inflicted  for 
some  more  than  common  outrage  on  the  part  of  the  boors, 
the  Cape  Governor  returned  for  answer,  that  he  could 
not  venture  to  do  as  they  wished,  as  the  system  was  so 
extensive  and  so  common,  that  all  the  principal  people  in 
the  colony  were  implicated,  and  would  have  to  be 
punished. 

"  Such  was  therefore  the  condition  of  the  colony  at  the 
time  that  it  fell  into  the  possession  of  the  English — the 
Hottentots,  serfs  to  the  land,  and  treated  as  the  beasts  of 
the  field ;  the  slave-trader  supplying  slaves,  and  continual 
war  carried  on  between  the  boors  and  the  CafFres." 

"I  trust  that  our  Government  soon  put  an  end  to  such 
barbarous  iniquities." 

"That  was  not  so  easy-,  the  frontier  boors  rose  in 
arms  against  the  English  Government,  and  the  Hottentots, 
who  had  been  so  long  patient,  now  fled  and  joined  the 
CafFres.  These  people  made  a  combined  attack  upon  the 
frontier  boors,  burnt  their  houses  to  the  ground,  carried 
off  the  cattle,  and  possessed  themselves  of  their  arms  and 
ammunition.  The  boors  rallied  in  great  force;  another 
combat  took  place,  in  which  the  Hottentots  and  CafFres 
were  victorious,  killing  the  leader  of  the  boors,  and 
pursuing  them  with  great  slaughter,  till  they  were  stopped 
by  the  advance  of  the  English  troops.  But  I  cannot  dwell 
long  upon  this  period  of  the  Cape  history ;  these  wars 
continued  until  the  natives,  throwing  themselves  upon  the 
protection  of  the  English,  were  induced  to  lay  down  their 
arms,  and  the  Hottentots  to  return  to  their  former  masters. 
The  colony  was  then  given  up  to  the  Dutch,  and  remained 
with  them  until  the  year  1806,  when  it  was  finally  annexed 
to  the  British  empire.  The  Dutch  had  not  learned  wisdom 
from  what  had  occurred  ;  they  treated  the  Hottentots 
worse  than  before,  maiming  them  and  even  murdering 
them  in  their  resentment,  and  appeared  to  defy  the  British 
Government  j  but  a  change  was  soon  to  take  place." 


The  Mission  29 

"Not  before  it  was  necessary,  at  all  events,"  said 
Alexander. 

"  It  was  by  the  missionaries  chiefly  that  this  change 
was  brought  about ;  they  had  penetrated  into  the  interior, 
and  saw  with  their  own  eyes  the  system  of  cruelty  and 
rapine  that  was  carried  on ;  they  wrote  home  accounts, 
which  were  credited,  and  which  produced  a  great  altera- 
tion. To  the  astonishment  and  indignation  of  the  boors, 
law  was  introduced  where  it  had  always  been  set  at 
defiance  ;  they  were  told  that  the  life  of  a  Hottentot  was  as 
important  in  the  eye  of  God,  and  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  as 
that  of  a  Dutch  boor,  and  that  the  Government  would 
hold  it  as  such.  Thus  was  the  first  blow  struck ;  but 
another  and  a  heavier  was  soon  to  fall  upon  those  who  had 
so  long  sported  with  the  lives  of  their  fellow-creatures. 
The  press  was  called  to  the  aid  of  the  Hottentot,  and  a 
work  published  by  a  missionary  roused  the  attention  of  the 
public  at  home  to  their  situation.  Their  cause  was  pleaded 
in  the  House  of  Commons,  and  the  Hottentot  was  emanci- 
pated for  ever." 

"  Thank  God  !  "  exclaimed  Alexander ;  "  my  blood  has 
been  boiling  at  the  description  which  you  have  been  giving. 
Now  when  I  hear  that  the  poor  Hottentot  is  a  free  man,  it 
will  cool  down  again." 

"  Perhaps  it  will  be  as  well  to  leave  off  just  now,  Mr 
Wilmot,"  said  Mr  Fairburn,  "  we  will  renew  our  con- 
versation to-morrow,  if  wind  and  weather  permit,  as  the 
seamen  say." 


Chapter  V 

The  next  day  the  ship  was  off  Rio,  and  immediately  sent 
her  boats  for  provisions  and  supplies  ;  the  passengers  did  not 
land,  as  the  captain  stated  that  he  would  not  stay  an  hour 
longer  than  was  necessary,  and  on  the  second  evening 
after  their  arrival  they  again  made  sail  for  the  Cape. 


30  The  Mission 

The  gulls  were  flying  in  numbers  astern  of  the  ship, 
darting  down  and  seizing  everything  edible  which  was 
thrown  overboard,  and  the  conversation  turned  upon 
aquatic  birds. 

"  What  difference  is  there  in  the  feathers  of  aquatic 
birds  and  others  ?"  inquired  Alexander  j  "a  hen  or  any 
land  bird,  if  it  falls  into  the  water,  is  drowned  as  soon  as 
its  feathers  are  saturated  with  the  water." 

"  There  is,  I  believe,  no  difference  in  the  feathers  of 
the  birds,"  replied  Mr  Swinton,  "  but  all  aquatic  birds 
are  provided  with  a  small  reservoir,  containing  oil,  with 
which  they  anoint  their  feathers,  which  renders  them 
water-proof.  If  you  will  watch  a  duck  pluming  and 
dressing  itself,  you  will  find  it  continually  turns  its  bill 
round  to  the  end  of  its  back,  just  above  the  insertion  of 
the  tail ;  it  is  to  procure  this  oil,  which,  as  it  dresses  its 
feathers  that  they  may  carefully  overlap  each  other,  it 
smears  upon  them  so  as  to  render  them  impenetrable  to 
the  water;  but  this  requires  frequent  renewal,  or  the 
duck  would  be  drowned  as  well  as  the  hen." 

"  How  long  can  a  sea-bird  remain  at  sea  ?" 

"  I  should  think  not  very  long,  although  it  has  been 
supposed  otherwise ;  but  we  do  not  know  so  much  of 
the  habits  of  these  birds  as  of  others." 

"  Can  they  remain  long  under  water  ? " 

"  The  greater  portion  of  them  cannot ;  ducks  and  that 
class  for  instance.  Divers  can  remain  some  time  ;  but  the 
birds  that  remain  the  longest  under  water  are  the  semi- 
aquatic,  whose  feet  are  only  half-webbed.  I  have  watched 
the  common  English  water-hen  for  many  minutes  walking 
along  at  the  bottom  of  a  stream,  apparently  as  much  in  its 
element  as  if  on  shore,  pecking  and  feeding  as  it  walked." 

"  You  say  that  aquatic  birds  cannot  remain  long  at  sea, 
where  do  they  go  to  ? " 

"  They  resort  to  the  uninhabited  islands  over  the  globe, 
rocks  that  always  remain  above  water,  and  the  unfrequented 
shores  of  Africa  and  elsewhere ;  there  they  congregate  to 
breed  and  bring  up  their  young.     I  have  seen  twenty  or 


The  Mission  31 

thirty  acres  of  land  completely  covered  with  these  birds  or 
their  nests,  wedged  together  as  close  as  they  could  sit. 
Every  year  they  resort  to  the  same  spot,  which  has 
probably  been  their  domicile  for  centuries, — I  might  say 
since  the  creation.  They  make  no  nests,  but  merely  scrape 
so  as  to  form  a  shallow  hole  to  deposit  their  eggs.  The 
consequence  of  their  always  resorting  to  the  same  spot  is, 
that  from  the  voidings  of  the  birds,  and  the  remains  of  fish 
brought  to  feed  the  young,  a  deposit  is  made  over  the 
whole  surface,  a  fraction  of  an  inch  every  year,  which,  by 
degrees,  increases  until  it  is  sometimes  twenty  or  thirty  feet 
deep,  if  not  more,  and  the  lower  portion  becomes  almost  as 
hard  as  rock.  The  deposit  is  termed  guano,  and  has, 
from  time  immemorial,  been  used  by  the  Peruvians  and 
Chilians  as  manure  for  the  land  ;  it  is  very  powerful,  as  it 
contains  most  of  the  essential  salts,  such  as  ammonia, 
phosphates,  &c,  which  are  required  for  agriculture. 
Within  these  last  few  years  samples  have  been  brought  to 
England,  and  as  the  quantities  must  be  inexhaustible,  when 
they  are  sought  for  and  found,  no  doubt  it  may  one  day 
become  a  valuable  article  of  our  carrying  trade.  Here 
comes  Mr  Fairburn ;  I  hope  he  intends  to  continue  his 
notices  of  the  Cape  settlement." 

"  They  have  interested  me  much,  I  must  confess  ;  he 
appears  well  acquainted  with  the  colony." 

"  He  has  had  the  advantage  of  a  long  residence,  and 
during  that  time  an  insight  into  all  the  public  documents  : 
this  you  may  be  certain  of,  that  he  knows  more  than  he 
will  tell." 

As  soon  as  Mr  Fairburn  joined  them,  Alexander 
requested  him  to  continue  his  narrative,  which  he  did  as 
follows. 

"  You  must  not  suppose,  Mr  Wilmot,  that  because  the 
English  had  now  possession  of  the  colony,  everything  went 
right ;  governors  who  are  appointed  to  the  control  of  a 
colony  require  to  be  there  some  time  before  they  can  see 
with  their  own  eyes ;  they  must,  from  their  want  of  in- 
formation, fall  into  the  hands  of  some  interested  party  or 


32  The  Mission 

another,  who  will  sway  their  councils.  Thus  it  was  at  the 
Cape. 

"  It  is  true  that  much  good  had  already  been  done  by 
the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  the  emancipation  of  the 
Hottentot ;  but  this  was  effected,  not  by  the  Colonial 
Government,  but  by  the  representations  of  the  missionaries 
and  an  influential  and  benevolent  party  at  home.  The 
prejudices  against  the  Hottentots,  and  particularly  the 
Caffres,  still  existed,  and  were  imbibed  by  the  Colonial 
authorities.  Commandoes,  or,  as  they  should  be  more 
properly  termed,  marauding  parties,  were  still  sent  out, 
and  the  CafFre  was  continually  oppressed,  and  in  defiance 
of  the  Government  orders,  little  justice  could  be  obtained 
for  the  Hottentot,  although  his  situation  was  somewhat 
improved. 

"  I  will  give  one  instance  to  show  how  the  rights  of  the 
Hottentots  were  respected  by  the  Cape  authorities  in  1810, 
— previous  to  the  emancipation,  it  is  true,  but  still  at  a  time 
when  the  position  of  the  Hottentots  and  their  sufferings 
had  been  strenuously  pressed  upon  the  Colonial  authorities 
by  the  Government  at  home. 

"  When  the  conduct  of  the  Dutch  boors  had  roused 
the  Caffres  and  Hottentots  to  war,  there  were  three 
brothers  of  the  name  of  Stuurman,  Hottentots,  who  were 
the  leaders.  Peace  was  at  length  restored,  which  was 
chiefly  effected  by  the  exertions  of  these  men,  who  retired 
peaceably  with  their  own  kraal  to  Algoa  Bay,  and  the 
Government,  being  then  Dutch,  appointed  Stuurman  as 
captain  of  the  kraal.  This  independent  horde  of  Hottentots 
gave  great  offence  to  the  Dutch  boors, — the  more  so,  as 
the  three  brothers  had  been  the  leaders  of  the  Hottentots 
in  the  former  insurrection.  For  seven  years  they  could 
find  no  complaint  to  make  against  them,  until  at  last  two 
of  his  Hottentots,  who  had  engaged  to  serve  a  boor  for  a 
certain  time,  went  back  to  the  kraal  at  the  expiration  of 
the  term,  against  the  wish  of  the  boor,  who  would  have 
detained  them ;  the  boor  went  and  demanded  them  back, 
but   Stuurman  refused   to   give   them   up  5  upon  which, 


The  Mission  $3 

although  justice  was  clearly  on  the  side  of  the  Hottentots, 
an  armed  force  was  despatched  to  the  kraal.  Stuurman 
still  refused  to  surrender  the  men,  and  the  armed  force 
retired,  for  they  knew  the  courage  of  the  Hottentots,  and 
were  afraid  to  attack  them. 

"By  treachery  they  gained  possession  of  Stuurman  and 
one  of  his  brothers  (the  other  having  been  killed  hunting 
the  buffalo),  and  sent  them  to  Cape  Town,  from  whence, 
against  all  justice,  they  were  sent  as  prisoners  to  Robin 
Island,  where  malefactors  are  confined.  They  made  their 
escape,  and  returned  to  CafFreland.  Three  years  after- 
wards, Stuurman,  anxious  to  see  his  family,  returned  to 
the  colony  without  permission.  He  was  discovered  and 
apprehended,  and  sent  as  a  convict  to  New  South  Wales  ; 
for  the  Government  was  at  that  time  English. 

"  Such  was  the  fate  of  the  first  Hottentot  who  stood  up 
for  the  rights  of  his  countrymen,  and  such  was  the 
conduct  of  the  English  Colonial  Government ;  so  you  will 
observe,  Mr  Wilmot,  that  although  the  strides  of  cruelty 
and  oppression  are  most  rapid,  the  return  to  even-handed 
justice  is  equally  slow.  Eventually  the  gross  injustice  to 
this  man  was  acknowledged,  for  an  order  from  the  Home 
Government  was  procured  for  his  liberation  and  return ; 
but  it  was  too  late, — Stuurman  had  died  a  convict. 

"  I  have  mentioned  this  circumstance,  as  it  will  prepare 
you  for  a  similar  act  of  injustice  to  the  Caffres.  When 
the  colony  was  in  possession  of  the  Dutch  there  was  a 
space  of  about  thirty  thousand  square  miles  between  the 
colonial  boundary  (that  is,  the  land  formerly  possessed  by 
the  Hottentots)  and  the  Great  Fish  River.  This  extent 
of  thirty  thousand  square  miles  belonged  to  the  Caffres, 
and  was  the  site  of  continual  skirmishing  and  marauding 
between  the  Dutch  boors  and  the  Caffres. 

"In  l8li,  it  was  resolved  by  the  Colonial  Government 
that  the  Caffres  should  be  driven  from  this  territory  and 
confined  to  the  other  side  of  the  Great  Fish  River.  This 
was  an  act  of  injustice  and  great  hardship,  and  was  pro- 
ceeded in  with  extreme  cruelty,  the  Caffres  being  obliged 
m  c 


34  The  Mission 

to  leave  all  their  crops  and  turned  out  with  great  and 
unnecessary  slaughter. 

"  It  may  be  proper,  however,  to  state  the  causes  which 
led  to  this  Caffre  war  with  the  English.  At  this  time  the 
Colonial  Governor  had  entered  into  negotiations  with  a 
CafFre  chief  of  the  name  of  Gaika.  He  was  a  chief  of  a 
portion  of  the  Caffres,  but  not  the  principal  chief,  and 
although  the  English  treated  with  him  as  such,  the  Caffres 
would  not  acknowledge  his  authority.  This  is  a  very 
frequent  error  committed  in  our  intercourse  with  savage 
nations,  who  are  as  pertinacious  of  their  rights  as  the 
monarchs  of  Europe.  The  error  on  our  part  was  soon 
discovered,  but  the  Government  were  too  proud  to 
acknowledge  it. 

"It  so  happened  that  the  other  Caffre  chiefs  formed 
a  powerful  confederacy  against  Gaika,  who,  trusting  to 
the  support  of  the  English,  had  treated  them  with  great 
arrogance.  They  fought  and  conquered  him,  carrying  off, 
as  usual,  his  cattle.  As  this  was  a  war  between  the 
Caffres,  and  confined  to  their  own  land,  we  certainly  had 
no  business  to  interfere ;  but  the  Colonial  Government 
thought  otherwise,  and  an  expedition  was  prepared. 

"  The  Caffres  sent  forward  messengers  declaring  their 
wish  to  remain  at  peace  with  the  English,  but  refusing  to 
submit  to  Gaika,  who  was  only  a  secondary  chief,  and 
whom  they  had  conquered.  No  regard  was  paid  to  this 
remonstrance  ;  the  English  troops  were  sent  forward,  the 
Caffres  attacked  in  their  hamlets,  slaughtered  or  driven 
into  the  woods,  23,000  head  of  cattle  taken  from  them, 
of  which  9000  were  given  to  Gaika,  and  the  rest  dis- 
tributed to  the  Dutch  boors,  or  sold  to  defray  part  of  the 
expenses  of  the  expedition. 

"  Deprived  of  their  means  of  subsistence  by  the  capture 
of  their  cattle,  the  Caffres  were  rendered  furious  and 
reckless,  and  no  sooner  had  the  expedition  returned,  than 
they  commenced  hostilities.  They  poured  into  the  frontier 
districts,  captured  several  detached  military  forts,  drove 
the  Dutch  boors  from  the  Zurweld  or  neutral  territory, 


The  Mission  35 

and  killed  a  great  many  of  our  soldiers  and  of  the  Dutch 
boors.  All  the  country  was  overrun  as  far  as  the  vicinity 
of  Algoa  Bay,  and  nothing  could  at  first  check  their  pro- 
gress." 

"Why,  it  really  does  not  appear  that  the  Colonial 
Government,  when  in  our  hands,  was  more  considerate 
than  when  it  was  held  by  the  Dutch,"  replied  Alexander. 

"  Not  much,  I  fear,"  said  Mr  Fairburn. 

"  The  councils  of  the  CafFre  chiefs  were  at  that  time 
much  influenced  by  a  most  remarkable  personage  of  the 
name  of  Mokanna.  In  the  colony  he  was  usually  known 
by  the  sobriquet  of  '  Links,'  or  the  left-handed.  He  was 
not  a  chief,  but  had  by  his  superior  intellect  obtained  great 
power.  He  gave  himself  out  to  be  a  prophet,  and  certainly 
showed  quite  as  much  skill  as  ever  did  Mahommed  or  any 
other  false  prophet.  He  had  often  visited  Cape  Town, 
and  had  made  himself  master  of  all  that  he  could  acquire 
of  European  knowledge. 

"  This  man,  by  his  influence,  his  superior  eloquence, 
and  his  pretended  revelations  from  heaven,  was  now 
looked  up  to  by  the  whole  CafFre  nation,  and  he  promised 
the  chiefs,  if  they  would  implicitly  obey  his  orders,  he 
would  lead  them  to  victory,  and  that  he  would  drive  the 
English  into  the  ocean.  He  resolved  upon  the  bold 
measure  of  making  an  attack  upon  Graham's  Town,  and 
marched  an  army  of  between  nine  and  ten  thousand  men  to 
the  forest  bordering  on  the  Great  Fish  River. 

"According  to  the  custom  of  the  CafFres,  who  never 
use  surprise  or  ambush  on  great  occasions,  they  sent  a 
message  to  the  commandant  of  Graham's  Town,  stating 
that  they  would  breakfast  with  him  the  next  morning. 
The  commandant,  who  had  supposed  the  message  to  be 
a  mere  bravado,  was  very  ill  prepared  when  on  the  follow- 
ing morning  he  perceived,  to  his  great  astonishment,  the 
whole  force  of  the  CafFres  on  the  heights  above  the  town. 

"  Had  the  CafFres  advanced  in  the  night,  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  they  would  have  had  possession  of  the 
place,  and  that  with  the  greatest  ease.     There  were  about 


36  The  Mission 

350  regular  troops  and  a  small  force  of  Hottentots  in 
Graham's  Town,  and  fortunately  a  few  field-pieces.  The 
Caffres  rushed  to  the  assault,  and  for  some  time  were 
not  to  be  checked  ;  they  went  up  to  the  very  muzzles  of 
the  field-pieces,  and  broke  their  spears  off  short,  to  decide 
the  battle  by  a  hand-to-hand  conflict. 

"  At  this  critical  moment,  the  field-pieces  opened  their 
fire  of  grape  and  canister,  and  the  front  ranks  of  the 
CafFres  were  mowed  down  like  grass.  After  several 
rallyings  under  Mokanna,  the  CafFres  gave  way  and  fled. 
About  1400  of  the  bravest  remained  on  the  field  of  battle, 
and  as  many  more  perished  from  their  wounds  before  they 
could  regain  their  country.  Mokanna,  after  using  every 
exertion,  accompanied  the  CafFre  army  in  their  flight." 

"It  certainly  was  a  bold  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
CafFres,  and  showed  Mokanna  to  be  a  great  man,  even 
in  the  failure." 

"It  was  so  unprecedented  an  attempt,  that  the  Colonial 
Government  were  dreadfully  alarmed,  and  turned  out  their 
whole  force  of  militia  as  well  as  of  regular  troops. 
The  CafFre  country  was  again  overrun,  the  inhabitants 
destroyed,  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex,  their  hamlets 
fired,  cattle  driven  away,  and  when  they  fled  to  the 
thickets,  they  were  bombarded  with  shells  and  congreve 
rockets.  Mokanna  and  the  principal  chiefs  were  de- 
nounced as  outlaws,  and  the  inhabitants  threatened  with 
utter  extermination  if  they  did  not  deliver  them  up  dead  or 
alive.  Although  driven  to  despair,  and  perishing  from 
want,  not  a  single  CafFre  was  to  be  found  who  would 
earn  the  high  reward  offered  for  the  surrender  of  the 
chiefs." 

"  The  more  I  hear  of  them,  the  more  I  admire  the 
CafFres,"  observed  Alexander  Wilmot,  "  and  I  may  add — 
but  never  mind,  pray  go  on." 

"  I  think  I  could  supply  the  words  which  you  have 
checked,  Mr  Wilmot,  but  I  will  proceed,  or  dinner  will 
be  announced  before  I  have  finished  this  portion  of  my 
history. 


The  Mission  yj 

"The  course  adopted  by  Mokanna  under  these  circum- 
stances was  such  as  will  raise  him  much  higher  in  your 
estimation.  As  he  found  that  his  countrymen  were  to  be 
massacred  until  he  and  the  other  chiefs  were  delivered  up, 
dead  or  alive,  he  resolved  to  surrender  himself  as  an 
hostage  for  his  country.  He  sent  a  message  to  say  that  he 
would  do  so,  and  the  next  day,  with  a  calm  magnanimity 
that  would  have  done  honour  to  a  Roman  patriot,  he  came, 
unattended,  to  the  English  camp.  His  words  were, 
'  People  say  that  I  have  occasioned  this  war  :  let  me  see  if 
my  delivering  myself  up  will  restore  peace  to  my  country.' 
The  commanding  officer  to  whom  he  surrendered  him- 
self immediately  forwarded  him  as  a  prisoner  to  the 
colony." 

"  What  became  of  him  ? " 

"  Of  that  hereafter  \  but  I  wish  here  to  give  you  the 
substance  of  a  speech  made  by  one  of  Mokanna's  head- 
men, who  came  after  Mokanna's  surrender  into  the 
English  camp.  I  am  told  that  the  imperfect  notes  taken 
of  it  afford  but  a  very  faint  idea  of  its  eloquence  ;  at 
all  events,  the  speech  gives  a  very  correct  view  of  the 
treatment  which  the  Caffres  received  from  our  hands. 

"  'This  war,'  said  he,  'British  chiefs,  is  an  unjust  one, 
for  you  are  striving  to  extirpate  a  people  whom  you  have 
forced  to  take  up  arms.  When  our  fathers  and  the  fathers 
of  the  boors  first  settled  on  the  Zurweld,  they  dwelt 
together  in  peace.  Their  flocks  grazed  the  same  hills, 
their  herdsmen  smoked  out  of  the  same  pipe ;  they  were 
brothers  until  the  herds  of  the  Amakosa  (Caffres)  in- 
creased so  much  as  to  make  the  hearts  of  the  Dutch  boors 
sore.  What  those  covetous  men  could  not  get  from  our 
fathers  for  old  buttons  they  took  by  force.  Our  fathers 
were  men  ;  they  loved  their  cattle ;  their  wives  and 
children  lived  upon  milk ;  they  fought  for  their  property  ; 
they  began  to  hate  the  colonists,  who  coveted  their  all,  and 
aimed  at  their  destruction. 

"  '  Now  their  kraals  and  our  fathers'  kraals  were 
separate.     The  boors  made  commandoes  for  our  fathers  ; 


38  The  Mission 

our  fathers  drove  them  out  of  the  Zurweld,  and  we  dwelt 
there  because  we  had  conquered  it ;  there  we  married 
wives ;  there  our  children  were  born  j  the  white  men 
hated  us,  but  could  not  drive  us  away ;  when  there  was 
war,  we  plundered  you  ;  when  there  was  peace,  some  of 
our  bad  people  stole  ;  but  our  chiefs  forbade  it. 

"  '  "We  lived  in  peace  ;  some  bad  people  stole,  perhaps  -, 
but  the  nation  was  quiet  j  Gaika  stole  ;  his  chiefs  stole  ; 
you  sent  him  copper ;  you  sent  him  beads  ;  you  sent  him 
horses,  on  which  he  rode  to  steal  more  ;  to  us  you  only 
sent  commandoes.  We  quarrelled  with  Gaika  about  grass  ; 
— no  business  of  yours  ;  you  sent  a  commando  ;  you  take 
our  last  cow ;  you  leave  only  a  few  calves,  which  die  for 
want,  and  so  do  our  children ;  you  give  half  the  spoil  to 
Gaika  ;  half  you  kept  yourselves. 

"  '  Without  milk  ;  our  corn  destroyed  ;  we  saw  our 
wives  and  children  perish  ;  we  followed,  therefore,  the 
tracks  of  our  cattle  into  the  colony ;  we  plundered,  and 
we  fought  for  our  lives  ;  we  found  you  weak,  and  we 
destroyed  your  soldiers  ;  we  saw  that  we  were  strong,  and 
we  attacked  your  head-quarters,  and  if  we  had  succeeded, 
our  right  was  good,  for  you  began  the  war ;  we  failed, 
and  you  are  here. 

" '  We  wish  for  peace  ;  we  wish  to  rest  in  our  huts  ; 
we  wish  to  get  milk  for  our  children  ;  our  wives  wish  to 
till  the  land  ;  but  your  troops  cover  the  plains,  and  swarm 
in  the  thickets,  where  they  cannot  distinguish  the  men 
from  the  women,  and  shoot  all.  You  wish  us  to  submit  to 
Gaika ;  that  man's  face  is  fair  to  you,  but  his  heart  is 
false ;  leave  him  to  himself;  make  peace  with  us  ;  let  him 
light  for  himself,  and  we  shall  not  call  upon  you  for  help ; 
set  Mokanna  at  liberty,  and  all  our  chiefs  will  make  peace 
with  you  at  any  time  you  fix  ;  but  if  you  still  make  war, 
you  may  indeed  kill  the  last  man  of  us,  but  Gaika  shall 
not  rule  over  the  followers  of  those  who  think  him  a 
woman.' 

"  If  eloquence  consists — (as  it  does  not  in  the  English 
House  of  Commons)  in  saying  much  in  few  words,  I  know 


The  Mission  39 

no  speech  more  comprehensive  of  the  facts  and  arguments 
of  a  case  than  the  above.  I  am  sorry  to  say  it  had  no 
effect  in  altering  the  destination  of  Mokanna  or  of  obtaining 
any  relief  for  his  countrymen,  who  were  still  called  upon 
to  deliver  up  the  other  chiefs  out/awed  by  the  Govern- 
ment." 

"  I  before  remarked  the  absurdity  of  that  expression," 
said  Mr  Swinton ;  "  we  outlaw  a  member  of  our  own  society 
and  belonging  to  our  own  country ;  but  to  out/aw  the 
chiefs  of  another  country  is  something  too  absurd ;  I  fear 
the  English  language  is  not  much  studied  at  the  Cape." 

"  At  all  events,  every  attempt  made  to  obtain  possession 
of  these  out/awed  chiefs  was  unavailing.  After  plundering 
the  country  of  all  that  could  be  found  in  it,  leaving  devas- 
tation and  misery  behind,  the  expedition  returned  without 
obtaining  their  object,  but  with  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
that,  by  taking  away  30,000  more  cattle,  they  left  thou- 
sands of  women  and  children  to  die  of  starvation.  But  I 
must  leave  off  now.  The  results  of  the  war,  and  the  fate 
of  Mokanna,  shall  be  the  subject  of  another  meeting." 

"  We  are  much  obliged  to  you,  Mr  Fairburn,  for  the 
interesting  narrative  you  have  given  us.  It  is,  however, 
to  be  hoped  that  you  will  have  no  more  such  painful 
errors  and  injustice  to  dwell  upon." 

"As  I  before  observed,  Mr  Wilmot,  it  requires  time 
for  prejudice  and  falsehood  to  be  overthrown  ;  and  until 
they  are  mastered,  it  cannot  be  expected  that  justice  can 
be  administered.  The  Colonial  Government  had  to 
contend  with  the  whole  white  population  of  the  colony, 
who  rose  up  in  arms  against  them,  considering,  from  long 
habit,  that  any  interference  with  their  assumed  despotism 
over  the  natives  was  an  infringement  of  their  rights. 

"  You  must  also  recollect  how  weak  was  the  power  of 
the  Colonial  Government  for  a  long  time,  and  how  impos- 
sible it  was  to  exert  that  power  over  such  an  extensive 
country  ;  and  to  give  you  some  idea  of  this,  I  will  state 
what  was  the  reply  of  some  of  the  Dutch  boors  to  the 
traveller    Le    Vaillant,    when    the    latter   expressed  his 


40  The  Mission 

opinion  that  Government  should  interfere  with  an  armed 
force  to  put  an  end  to  their  cruelty  and  oppression. 

"  '  Are  you  aware,'  said  they,  '  what  would  be  the 
result  of  such  an  attempt  ? — Assembling  all  in  an  instant, 
we  would  massacre  the  half  of  the  soldiers,  salt  their 
flesh,  and  send  it  back  by  those  we  might  spare,  with 
threats  of  doing  the  same  thing  to  those  who  should  be 
bold  enough  to  appear  among  us  afterwards.'  It  is  not  an 
easy  task  for  any  Government  to  deal  with  such  a  set  of 
people,  Mr  Wilmot." 

"  I  grant  it,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  and  the  conviction 
makes  me  more  anxious  to  know  what  has  been  since 
done." 


Chapter  VI 

The  following  morning  the  wind  was  very  light,  and 
before  noon  it  fell  calm.  Two  sharks  of  a  large  size  came 
under  the  stern  of  the  vessel,  and  the  sailors  were  soon 
very  busy  trying  to  hook  one  of  them  ;  but  they  refused 
the  bait,  which  was  a  piece  of  salt  pork,  and  after  an  hour 
they  quitted  the  vessel  and  disappeared,  much  to  the 
disappointment  both  of  passengers  and  ship's  company,  the 
former  wishing  very  much  to  see  the  sharks  caught,  and 
the  latter  very  anxious  to  cut  them  up  and  fry  them  for 
their  suppers. 

"I  thought  that  sharks  always  took  the  bait,"  observed 
Alexander. 

"Not  always,  as  you  have  now  seen,"  replied  Mr 
Mr  Swinton ;  "  all  depends  upon  whether  they  are 
hungry,  or  not.  In  some  harbours  where  there  were 
plenty  of  fish,  I  have  seen  sharks  in  hundreds,  which  not 
only  refused  any  bait,  but  would  not  attempt  to  seize  a 
man  if  he  was  in  the  water ;  but  I  am  surprised  at  these 
Atlantic  sharks  refusing  the  bait,  I  must  confess,  for  they 


The  Mission  41 

are  generally  very  ravenous,  as  are,  indeed,  all  the  sharks 
which  are  found  in  the  ocean." 

"  I  can  tell  you,  sir,  why  they  refused  the  bait,"  said 
the  boatswain  of  the  vessel,  who  was  standing  by  ;  "  it's 
because  we  are  now  in  the  track  of  the  Brazilian  slavers, 
and  they  have  been  well  fed  lately,  depend  upon  it." 

"  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  you  were  correct  in  your 
idea,"  replied  Mr  Swinton. 

"  There  are  many  varieties  of  sharks,  are  there  not  ? " 
inquired  Wilmot. 

"Yes,  a  great  many;  the  fiercest,  however,  and  the 
largest  kind  is  the  one  which  has  just  left  us,  and  is  termed 
the  white  shark  ;  it  ranges  the  whole  Atlantic  Ocean,  but 
is  seldom  found  far  to  the  northward,  as  it  prefers  the 
tropics :  it  is,  however,  to  be  seen  in  the  Mediterranean, 
in  the  Gulf  of  Lyons,  and  is  there  remarkably  fierce.  In 
the  English  Channel  you  find  the  blue  shark,  which  is 
seldom  dangerous ;  there  is  also  a  very  large-sized  but 
harmless  shark  found  in  the  north  seas  which  the  whalers 
frequent.  Then  there  is  the  spotted  or  tiger  shark,  which 
is  very  savage,  although; it  does  not  grow  to  a  large  size; 
the  hammer-headed  shark,  so  called  from  the  peculiar 
formation  of  its  head ;  and  the  ground  shark,  perhaps  the 
most  dangerous  of  all,  as  it  lies  at  the  bottom  and  rises 
under  you  without  giving  you  notice  of  his  approach. 
I  believe  I  have  now  mentioned  the  principal  varieties." 

"  If  a  man  was  to  fall  overboard  and  a  shark  was  nigh, 
what  would  be  the  best  plan  to  act  upon  ? — that  is,  if 
there  would  be  any  chance  of  escape  from  such  a  brute." 

"  The  best  plan,  and  I  have  seen  it  acted  upon  with 
success,  is,  if  you  can  swim  well,  to  throw  yourself  on 
your  back  and  splash  as  much  as  you  can  with  your  feet, 
and  halloo  as  loud  as  you  can.  A  shark  is  a  cowardly 
animal,  and  noise  will  drive  it  away. 

"  When  I  went  out  two  or  three  years  ago,  I  had  a 
Newfoundland  dog,  which  was  accustomed  to  leap  into  the 
water  from  almost  any  height.  I  was  very  partial  to  him, 
and  you  may  imagine  my  annoyance  when,  one  day,  as  we 


42  The  Mission 

were  becalmed  off  the  Western  Islands,  and  a  large  shark 
came  up  alongside,  the  dog,  at  once  perceiving  it,  plunged 
off  the  taffrail  to  seize  it,  swimming  towards  the  shark, 
and  barking  as  loud  as  he  could.  I  fully  expected  that 
the  monster  would  have  despatched  him  in  a  moment ; 
but  to  my  surprise  the  shark  was  frightened  and  swam 
away,  followed  by  the  dog,  until  the  boat  that  was 
lowered  down  had  picked  him  up." 

"  I  don't  think  that  the  shark  could  have  been  very 
hungry." 

"  Probably  not  ;  at  all  events  I  should  not  have  liked 
to  have  been  in  Neptune's  place.  I  think  the  most  curious 
plan  of  escaping  from  sharks  is  that  pursued  by  the 
Cingalese  divers,  and  often  with  success." 

"  Tell  it  me,  if  you  please." 

"  The  divers  who  go  down  for  the  pearl  oysters  off 
Ceylon  generally  drop  from  a  boat,  and  descend  in  ten  or 
twelve  fathoms  of  water  before  they  come  to  the  bed  of 
pearl  oysters,  which  is  upon  a  bank  of  mud  :  it  often 
happens  that  when  they  are  down,  the  sharks  make  for 
them,  and  I  hardly  need  say  that  these  poor  fellows  are 
constantly  on  the  watch,  looking  in  every  direction  while 
they  are  filling  their  baskets.  If  they  perceive  a  shark 
making  for  them,  their  only  chance  is  to  stir  up  the  mud 
on  the  bank  as  fast  as  they  can,  which  prevents  the  animal 
from  distinguishing  them,  and  under  the  cover  of  the 
clouded  water  they  regain  the  surface ;  nevertheless  it 
does  not  always  answer,  and  many  are  taken  off  every  year." 

"  A  lady,  proud  of  her  pearl  necklace,  little  thinks  how 
many  poor  fellows  may  have  been  torn  to  pieces  to  obtain 
for  her  such  an  ornament." 

"  Very  true,  and  when  we  consider  how  many  pearl- 
fisheries  may  have  taken  place,  and  how  many  divers  may 
have  been  destroyed,  before  a  string  of  fine  pearls  can  be 
obtained,  we  might  almost  say  that  every  pearl  on  the 
necklace  has  cost  the  life  of  a  human  creature." 

"  How  are  the  pearls  disposed  of,  and  who  are  the 
proprietors  ?  " 


The  Mission  43 

"  The  Government  are  the  proprietors  of  the  fishery,  I 
believe ;  but  whether  they  farm  it  out  yearly,  or  not,  I 
cannot  tell  j  but  this  I  know,  that  as  the  pearl  oysters  are 
taken,  they  are  landed  unopened  and  packed  upon  the 
beach  in  squares  of  a  certain  dimension.  When  the  fishing 
is  over  for  the  season,  these  square  lots  of  pearl  oysters 
are  put  up  to  auction  and  sold  to  the  highest  bidder,  of 
course,  '  contents  unknown,'  so  that  it  becomes  a  species  of 
lottery ;  the  purchaser  may  not  find  a  single  pearl  in  his 
lot,  or  he  may  find  two  or  three,  which  will  realise  twenty 
times  the  price  which  he  has  paid  for  his  lot." 

"  It  is,  then,  a  lottery  from  beginning  to  end ;  the  poor 
divers'  lottery  is  shark  or  no  shark ;  the  purchasers',  pearls 
or  no  pearls.  But  Mr  Fairburn  is  coming  up  the  ladder, 
and  I  am  anxious  to  know  what  was  the  fate  of  Mokanna." 

Mr  Fairburn,  who  had  come  on  deck  on  purpose  to 
continue  the  narrative,  took  his  seat  by  his  two  fellow- 
passengers  and  went  on  as  follows  : — 

"  I  stated  that  Mokanna  had  been  forwarded  to  the  Cape. 
You  must  have  perceived  that  his  only  crime  was  that  of 
fighting  for  his  native  land  against  civilised  invaders,  but 
this  was  a  deep  crime  in  the  eyes  of  the  Colonial  Govern- 
ment ;  he  was  immediately  thrown  into  the  common  gaol, 
and  finally  was  condemned  to  be  imprisoned  for  life  on 
Robin  Island,  a  place  appropriated  for  the  detention  of 
convicted  felons  and  other  malefactors,  who  there  work 
in  irons  at  the  slate-quarries." 

"  May  I  ask  where  is  Robin  Island  ? " 

"It  is  an  island  a  few  miles  from  the  main  land,  close  to 
Table  Bay,  upon  which  the  Cape  Town  is  built. 

"  Mokanna  remained  there  about  a  year,  when,  having 
made  his  intentions  known  to  some  CafFres  who  were  con- 
fined there  with  him,  he  contrived  out  of  the  iron  hoops 
of  the  casks  to  make  some  weapons  like  cutlasses,  with 
which  he  armed  his  followers,  rose  upon  the  guard  and 
overpowered  them  ;  he  then  seized  the  boat,  and  with  his 
CafFres  made  for  the  mainland.  Unfortunately,  in  attempt- 
ing to  disembark  upon  the  rocks    on    the    mainland,  the 


44  The  Mission 

boat  was  upset  in  the  surf,  which  was  very  violent  ; 
Mokanna  clung  some  time  to  a  rock,  but  at  last  was 
washed  off,  and  thus  perished  the  unfortunate  leader  of 
the  CafTres." 

"  Poor  fellow,"  said  Alexander  ;  "  he  deserved  a 
better  fate  and  a  more  generous  enemy ;  but  did  the  war 
continue  ? " 

"No;  it  ended  in  a  manner  every  way  worthy  of  that 
in  which  it  was  begun.  You  recollect  that  the  war  was 
commenced  to  support  Gaika,  our  selected  chief  of  the 
CafTres,  against  the  real  chiefs.  The  CafTres  had  before 
been  compelled  to  give  up  their  territories  on  our  side  of 
the  Fish  River ;  the  Colonial  Government  now  insisted 
upon  their  retiring  still  further,  that  is,  beyond  the  Keisi 
and  Chumi  Rivers,  by  which  3000  more  squares  miles 
were  added  to  the  colonial  territory.  This  was  exacted, 
in  order  that  there  might  be  a  neutral  ground  to  separate 
the  Caffres  and  the  Dutch  boors,  and  put  an  end  to  further 
robberies  on  either  side.  The  strangest  part  of  the  story 
is,  that  this  territory  was  not  taken  away  from  the  Caffre 
chiefs,  against  whom  we  had  made  war,  but  from  Gaika, 
our  ally,  to  support  whom  we  had  entered  into  the  war." 

"Well,  it  was  even-handed — not  justice,  but  injustice, 
at  all  events." 

"Exactly  so;  and  so  thought  Gaika,  for  when  speaking 
of  the  protection  he  received  from  the  Colonial  Govern- 
ment, he  said,  '  But  when  I  look  upon  the  large  extent  of 
fine  country  which  has  been  taken  from  me,  I  am  compelled 
to  say,  that,  although  protected,  I  am  rather  oppressed  by 
my  protectors?  " 

"  Unjust  as  was  the  mode  of  obtaining  the  neutral 
ground,  I  must  say  that  it  appears  to  me  to  have  been  a 
good  policy  to  put  one  between  the  parties." 

"  I  grant  it ;  but  what  was  the  conduct  of  the  Colonial 
Government  ?  This  neutral  ground  was  afterwards  given 
away  in  large  tracts  to  the  Dutch  boors,  so  as  again  to 
bring  them  into  contact  with  the  CafTres." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  " 


The  Mission  45 

"  Yes ;  to  men  who  had  always  been  opposed  to  the 
English  Government,  who  had  twice  risen  in  rebellion 
against  them,  and  who  had  tried  to  bring  in  the  Caffres 
to  destroy  the  colony.  Neither  are  the  commandoes,  or 
excursions  against  the  Caffres,  put  an  end  to :  Makomo, 
the  son  of  Gaika,  our  late  ally,  has,  1  hear,  been  the  party 
now  attacked.  I  trust,  however,  that  we  may  soon  have 
affairs  going  on  in  a  more  favourable  and  reputable  man- 
ner ;  indeed,  I  am  sure  that,  now  the  Government  at  home 
have  been  put  in  possession  of  the  facts,  such  will  be  the 
case. 

"  I  have  now  given  you  a  very  brief  insight  into  the 
history  of  the  Cape  up  to  the  present  time.  There  are 
many  points  which  I  have  passed  over,  not  wishing  to 
diverge  from  a  straightforward  narrative,  but  upon  any 
questions  you  may  wish  to  ask,  I  shall  be  most  happy  to 
give  you  all  the  information  in  my  power.  I  cannot,  how- 
ever, dismiss  the  subject  without  making  one  remark, 
which  is,  that  it  is  principally,  if  not  wholly,  to  the  mis- 
sionaries, to  their  exertions  and  to  their  representations, 
that  what  good  has  been  done  is  to  be  attributed.  They 
are  entitled  to  the  greatest  credit  and  the  warmest  praise ; 
and  great  as  has  been  the  misrule  of  this  colony  for  many 
years,  it  would  have  been  much  greater  and  much  more 
disgraceful  if  it  had  not  been  for  their  efforts.  Another 
very  important  alteration  has  been  taking  place  in  the 
colony,  which  will  eventually  be  productive  of  much  good. 
I  refer  to  the  British  immigration,  which  every  year  becomes 
more  extensive ;  and  as  soon  as  the  British  population 
exceeds  and  masters  that  of  the  old  Dutch  planters  and 
boors,  we  shall  have  better  feeling  in  the  colony.  Do 
not  suppose  that  all  the  Dutch  boors  are  such  as  those 
whose  conduct  I  have  been  obliged  to  point  out.  There 
are  many  worthy  men,  although  but  few  educated  or 
enlightened." 

"  I  know  from  my  own  observation  that  the  failings  and 
prejudices  against  the  natives  are  fast  fading  away,  and 
that  lately  the  law  has  been  able  to  hold  its  ground,  and 


46  The  Mission 

has  been  supported  by  the  people  inhabiting  the  districts. 
The  Dutch,  with  all  their  prejudices  and  all  their  vices, 
will  soon  be  swallowed  up  by  the  inundation  of  English 
settlers,  and  will  gradually  be  so  incorporated  and  inter- 
mingled by  marriage,  that  no  distinction  will  be  known. 
Time,  however,  is  required  for  such  consolidation  and 
cementation  j  that  time  is  arriving  fast,  and  the  future 
prospects  of  the  Cape  are  as  cheering,  as  you  may  think, 
from  my  narrative,  they  have  been  disheartening  and 
gloomy." 

"  I  trust  in  God  that  such  will  be  the  case,"  replied 
Alexander.  "  If  this  wind  continues,  in  a  few  days  we 
shall  be  at  the  Cape,  and  I  shall  be  most  anxious  to  hear 
how  affairs  are  going  on." 

"  I  had  a  letter  just  before  I  set  out  from  England, 
stating  that  the  Zoolu  tribes,  to  the  northward  of  the 
Caffres,  are  in  an  unquiet  state ;  and  as  you  must  pass 
near  to  these  tribes  on  your  journey,  I  am  anxious  to 
know  the  truth.  At  all  events,  Chaka  is  dead ;  he  was 
murdered  about  two  years  back  by  his  own  relations." 

"Who  was  Chaka?"  inquired  Alexander. 

"  That  I  have  yet  to  tell  you  ;  at  present  we  have  only 
got  as  far  as  the  Caffres,  who  are  immediately  on  our 
frontiers." 


Chapter  VII 

The  wind  continued  fair,  and  the  vessel  rapidly  approached 
the  Cape.  Alexander,  who  had  contracted  a  great  friend- 
ship for  Mr  Swinton,  had  made  known  to  him  the  cause 
of  his  intended  journey  into  the  interior,  and  the  latter 
volunteered,  if  his  company  would  not  be  displeasing,  to 
accompany  Alexander  on  his  tedious  and  somewhat  perilous 
expedition. 

Alexander  gladly  accepted  the  offer,  and  requested  Mr 
Swinton  would   put   himself  to  no  expense,   as  he   had 


The  Mission  47 

unlimited  command  of  money  from  his  grand-uncle,  and 
Mr  Swinton's  joining  the  caravan  would  make  no  difference 
in  his  arrangements. 

After  it  had  been  agreed  that  they  should  travel 
together,  the  continued  subject  of  discourse  and  discussion 
was  the  nature  of  the  outfit,  the  number  of  waggons, 
their  equipment,  the  stores,  the  number  of  horses  and 
oxen  which  should  be  provided ;  and  they  were  busy 
every  day  adding  to  their  memoranda  as  to  what  it  would 
be  advisable  to  procure  for  their  journey. 

Mr  Fairbum  often  joined  in  the  discussion,  and  gave 
his  advice,  but  told  them  that,  when  they  arrived  at  Cape 
Town,  he  might  be  more  useful  to  them.  Alexander, 
who,  as  we  have  before  observed,  was  a  keen  hunter, 
and  very  partial  to  horses  and  dogs,  promised  himself 
much  pleasure  in  the  chase  of  the  wild  animals  on  their 
journey,  and  congratulated  himself  upon  being  so  well 
provided  with  guns  and  rifles,  which  he  had  brought 
with  him,  more  with  the  idea  that  they  might  be  required 
for  self-defence,  than  for  sport. 

At  last,  "  Land,  ho ! "  was  cried  out  by  the  man  who 
was  at  the  mast-head  in  the  morning  watch,  and  soon 
afterwards,  the  flat  top  of  Table  Mountain  was  distinctly 
visible  from  the  deck.  The  Surprise,  running  before  a 
fresh  breeze,  soon  neared  the  land,  so  that  the  objects 
on  it  might  be  perceived  with  a  glass.  At  noon  they 
were  well  in  for  the  bay,  and  before  three  o'clock  the 
Surprise  was  brought  to  an  anchor  between  two  other 
merchant  vessels,  which  were  filling  up  their  home 
cargoes. 

After  a  three  months'  voyage,  passengers  are  rather 
anxious  to  get  on  shore ;  and  therefore  before  night  all 
were  landed,  and  Alexander  found  himself  comfortably 
domiciled  in  one  of  the  best  houses  in  Cape  Town :  for 
Mr  Fairburn  had,  during  the  passage,  requested  Alexander 
to  take  up  his  abode  with  him. 

Tired  with  the  excitement  of  the  day,  he  was  not  sorry 
to  go  to  bed  early,  and  he  did  not  forget  to  return  his 


48  The  Mission 

thanks  to  Him  who  had  preserved  him  through  the  perils 
of  the  voyage. 

The  next  morning,  Mr  Fairburn  said  to  Alexander — 

"  Mr  Wilmot,  I  should  recommend  you  for  the  first  ten 
days  to  think  nothing  about  your  journey.  Amuse  yourself 
with  seeing  the  public  gardens,  and  other  things  worthy  of 
inspection ;  or,  if  it  pleases  you,  you  can  make  the  ascent 
of  Table  Mountain  with  your  friend  Swinton.  At  all 
events,  do  just  as  you  please  ;  you  will  find  my  people 
attentive,  and  ready  to  obey  your  orders.  You  know  the 
hours  of  meals  ;  consider  yourself  at  home,  and  as  much 
master  here  as  I  am.  As  you  may  well  imagine,  after  so 
long  an  absence,  I  have  much  to  attend  to  in  my  official 
capacity,  and  I  think  it  will  be  a  week  or  ten  days  before  I 
shall  be  comfortably  reseated  in  my  office,  and  have  things 
going  on  smoothly,  as  they  ought  to  do.  You  must  there- 
fore excuse  me,  if  I  am  not  quite  so  attentive  a  host  at  first 
as  I  should  wish  to  be.  One  thing  only  I  recommend  you 
to  do  at  present,  which  is,  to  accompany  me  this  afternoon 
to  Government-House,  that  I  may  introduce  you  to  the 
Governor.  It  is  just  as  well  to  get  over  that  mark  of 
respect  which  is  due  to  him,  and  then  you  will  be  your 
own  master." 

Alexander  replied  with  many  thanks.  He  was 
graciously  received  by  the  Governor,  who  promised  him 
every  assistance  in  his  power  in  the  prosecution  of  his 
journey.  Having  received  an  invitation  for  dinner  on  the 
following  day,  Alexander  bowed  and  took  his  leave  in 
company  with  Mr  Fairburn. 

On  the  following  day  Alexander  was  visited  by  Mr 
Swinton.  Mr  Swinton  was  accompanied  by  a  major  in  the 
Bengal  Cavalry,  whom  he  introduced  as  Major  Henderson. 
He  had  arrived  a  few  days  before  from  Calcutta,  having 
obtained  leave  of  absence  for  the  recovery  of  his  health, 
after  a  smart  jungle  fever,  which  had  nearly  proved  fatal. 
The  voyage,  however,  had  completely  reinstated  him, 
and  he  appeared  full  of  life  and  spirits.  They  walked 
together  to  the  Company's  garden,  in  which  were  a  few 


The  Mission  49 

lions,  and  some  other  Cape  animals,  and  the  discourse 
naturally  turned  upon  them.  Major  Henderson  described 
the  hunting  in  India,  especially  the  tiger  hunting  on 
elephants,  to  which  he  was  very  partial ;  and  Alexander 
soon  discovered  that  he  was  talking  to  one  who  was 
passionately  fond  of  the  sport.  After  a  long  conversation, 
they  parted  mutually  pleased  with  each  other.  A  day  or 
two  afterwards,  Mr  Swinton,  who  had  been  talking  about 
their  intended  journey  with  Alexander,  said  to  him  : 

"  You  must  not  be  surprised  at  the  off-hand  and  un- 
ceremonious way  we  have  in  the  colonies.  People  meeting 
abroad,  even  Englishmen  occasionally,  throw  aside  much 
ceremony.  I  mention  this  because  Major  Henderson 
intends  to  call  this  afternoon,  and  propose  joining  our 
party  into  the  interior.  I  do  not  know  much  of  him,  but 
I  have  heard  much  said  in  his  favour,  and  it  is  easy  to  see 
by  his  manners  and  address  that  he  is  a  gentleman.  Of 
course,  when  he  stated  his  intention,  I  could  do  nothing 
but  refer  him  to  you,  which  I  did.  What  do  you  think, 
Wilmot  ? " 

"  I  think  very  well  of  Major  Henderson,  and  I  consider 
that  as  the  journey  must  be  one  of  some  peril,  the  more 
Europeans  the  better,  especially  when  we  can  find  one  who 
is  used  to  danger  from  his  profession,  and  also  to  dangerous 
hunting,  which  we  must  also  expect.  So  far  from  not 
wishing  him  to  join  us,  I  consider  him  a  most  valuable 
acquisition,  and  am  delighted  at  the  idea." 

"  Well,  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  for  I  agree  with 
you.  He  is  hunting  mad,  that  is  certain,  and  I  hear,  a 
most  remarkable  shot.  I  think  with  you  he  will  be  an 
acquisition.  It  appears  that  it  was  his  intention  to  have 
gone  into  the  interior,  even  if  he  went  by  himself;  and  he 
has  two  Arab  horses  which  he  brought  with  him  from 
India  with  that  view." 

"  If  you  see  him  before  he  comes,  you  may  say  that  you 
have  stated  his  wishes  to  me,  and  that  I  am  quite  delighted 
at  his  joining  our  party, — it  being  perfectly  understood  that 
he  is  at  no  expense  for  anything  connected  with  the  outfit." 

M  D 


50  The  Mission 

"  I  will  tell  him  so,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  and  I  think  the 
sooner  we  begin  to  collect  what  is  necessary  the  better. 
We  must  have  Major  Henderson  in  our  councils.  Depend 
upon  it,  he  will  be  very  useful,  and  very  active ;  so  for 
the  present,  farewell." 

Mr  Swinton  and  Major  Henderson  called  together  that 
afternoon,  and  the  latter,  as  soon  as  he  was  admitted  into 
the  party,  began  to  talk  over  the  plans  and  preparations. 

"My  suite  is  not  very  large,"  said  he;  "I  have  two 
horses  and  two  dogs,  a  Parsee  servant,  and  a  Cape  baboon. 
I  should  like  to  take  the  latter  with  us  as  well  as  my 
servant.  My  servant,  because  he  is  a  good  cook ;  and  my 
monkey,  because,  if  we  are  hard  put  to  it,  she  will  show 
us  what  we  may  eat  and  what  we  may  not ;  there  is  no 
taster  like  a  monkey.  Besides,  she  is  young  and  full  of 
tricks,  and  I  like  something  to  amuse  me." 

"The  baboons  have  another  good  quality;  they  give 
notice  of  danger  sooner  than  a  dog,"  observed  Swinton. 
"  I  think,  Wilmot,  we  must  admit  the  monkey  into  the 
party." 

"  I  shall  be  most  happy,"  replied  Alexander,  laughing  ; 
"  pray  give  her  my  compliments,  Major  Henderson,  and 
say  how  happy  I  shall  be." 

"  I  call  her  Begum,"  said  Major  Henderson  ;  "  because 
she  is  so  like  the  old  Begum  Princess  whom  I  was  once 
attending,  when  in  India  with  my  troop,  as  guard  of 
honour.  You  must  look  out  for  some  good  horses,  Mr 
Wilmot ;  you  will  want  a  great  many,  and  if  you  do  not 
wish  them  to  have  sore  backs,  don't  let  the  Hottentots  ride 
them." 

"We  have  been  discussing  the  point,  Major  Henderson, 
as  to  whether  it  will  not  be  better  to  go  round  in  a  vessel 
to  Algoa  Bay,  complete  our  equipment  there,  and  make 
that  our  starting-place." 

"  If  you  do,  you  will  save  a  long  journey  by  land,  and 
find  yourself  not  very  far  from  what  I  understand  are  the 
best  of  hunting-grounds,  near  to  the  country  of  the  Vaal 
River." 


The  Mission  51 

The  topics  then  dwelt  upon  were  what  articles  they 
should  procure  in  Cape  Town,  and  what  they  should 
defer  providing  themselves  with  until  their  arrival  at  Algoa 
Bay.  They  agreed  to  provide  all  their  stores  at  Cape 
Town,  and  as  many  good  horses  as  they  could  select ;  but 
the  wagons  and  oxen,  and  the  hiring  of  Hottentots,  they 
put  off  until  they  arrived  at  Algoa  Bay- 
Mr  Fairburn  was  now  more  at  leisure,  and  Alexander 
had  more  of  his  society.  One  evening  after  dinner,  Mr 
Fairburn  had  opened  a  map  of  the  country,  to  give 
Alexander  some  information  relative  to  his  projected 
journey.  He  pointed  out  to  him  the  track  which  appeared 
most  advisable  through  the  Caffre  country,  and  then 
observed  that  it  was  difficult  to  give  any  advice  as  to  his 
proceedings  after  he  had  passed  this  country,  governed 
by  Hinza,  as  everything  would  depend  upon  circum- 
stances. 

"  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  country  beyond  ? " 
"  Not  much ;  we  know  that  it  was  overrun  by  the 
Zoolus,  the  tribe  of  which  Chaka  was  the  chief ;  and  last 
year  our  troops  went  to  the  assistance  of  the  Caffres,  who 
were  attacked  by  another  tribe  from  the  northward,  called 
the  Mantatees.  These  were  dispersed  by  our  troops  with 
immense  slaughter.  The  Zoolu  country,  you  perceive,  is 
on  the  east  side  of  the  great  chain  of  mountains,  and  to  the 
northward  of  Port  Natal.  The  Mantatees  came  from  the 
west  side  of  the  mountains,  in  about  the  same  parallel  of 
latitude.  It  is  impossible  to  say  what  may  be  going  on  at 
present,  or  what  may  take  place  before  you  arrive  at 
your  destination,  as  these  northern  irruptions  are  con- 
tinual." 

"  You  promised  me  the  history  of  that  person,  Chaka." 
"  You  shall  have  it  now :  he  was  the  king  of  the  Zoolu 
nation — I  hardly  know  what  to  call  him.  He  was  the 
Nero  and  the  Napoleon  of  Africa ;  a  monster  in  cruelty 
and  crime,  yet  a  great  warrior  and  conqueror.  He  com- 
menced his  career  by  murdering  his  relatives  to  obtain  the 
sovereignty.     As  soon  as  he  had  succeeded,  he  murdered 


52  The  Mission 

all  those  whom  he  thought  inimical  to  him,  and  who  had 
been  friends  to  his  relatives." 

"  But  are  the  Zoolus  Caffres  ?  " 

"  No  ;  but  there  are  many  races  to  the  northward  which 
we  consider  as  CarFre  races.  You  may  have  observed,  in 
the  history  of  the  world,  that  the  migrations  of  the  human 
race  are  generally  from  the  north  to  the  south ;  so  it 
appears  to  have  been  in  Africa.  Some  convulsion  among 
the  northern  tribes,  probably  a  pressure  from  excessive 
population,  had  driven  the  Zoolus  to  the  southward,  and 
they  came  down  like  an  inundation,  sweeping  before  them 
all  the  tribes  that  fell  in  their  path.  Chaka's  force  con- 
sisted of  nearly  100,000  warriors,  of  whom  15,000  were 
always  in  attendance  to  execute  his  orders.  In  every 
country  which  he  overran  he  spared  neither  age  nor  sex  ; 
it  was  one  indiscriminate  slaughter." 

"  What  a  monster  !  " 

"  He  ruled  by  terror,  and  it  is  incredible  that  his  orders 
met  with  such  implicit  obedience.  To  make  his  army 
invincible,  he  remodelled  it,  divided  it  into  companies, 
distinguished  by  the  colour  of  their  shields,  and  forbade 
them  to  use  any  other  weapon  but  a  short  stabbing-spear, 
so  that  they  always  fought  at  close  quarters.  He  weeded 
his  army  by  picking  out  1 000  of  his  veteran  warriors,  who 
had  gained  his  victories,  and  putting  them  to  death.  Any 
regiment  sent  out  to  battle,  if  they  were  defeated,  were 
instantly  destroyed  on  their  return ;  it  was,  therefore, 
victory  or  death  with  them,  and  the  death  was  most  cruel, 
being  that  of  impalement.  Well  was  he  surnamed  *  the 
Bloody.' " 

"  Yes,  indeed." 

"  His  tyranny  over  his  own  people  was  dreadful.  On 
one  occasion,  a  child  annoyed  him ;  he  ordered  it  to  be 
killed  ;  but  the  child  ran  among  seventy  or  eighty  other 
children,  and  could  not  be  distinguished,  so  he  ordered  the 
whole  to  be  put  to  death.  He  murdered  two  or  three 
hundred  of  his  wives  in  one  day.  At  the  slightest 
suspicion  he  would  order  out  his  chiefs  to  execution,  and 


The  Mission  53 

no  one  knew  when  his  turn  might  come.  His  will  was 
law  :  everyone  trembled  and  obeyed.  To  enter  into  a 
detail  of  all  his  cruelties  would  fill  volumes  j  it  will  be 
sufficient  to  mention  the  last  act  of  his  life.  His  mother 
died,  and  he  declared  that  she  had  perished  by  witchcraft. 
Hundreds  and  hundreds  were  impaled,  and,  at  last,  tired 
of  these  slow  proceedings,  he  ordered  out  his  army  to 
an  indiscriminate  slaughter  over  the  whole  country,  which 
lasted  for  fourteen  days." 

"  How  horrible  !  " 

"  He  was  a  demon  who  revelled  in  blood  ;  but  his  own 
turn  came  at  last.  He  was  murdered  by  his  brother 
Dingaam,  who  knew  that  he  was  about  to  be  sacrificed ; 
and  thus  perished  the  bloody  Chaka.  His  brother 
Dingaam  is  now  on  the  Zoolu  throne,  and  appears  inclined 
to  be  quiet.  There  is  another  great  warrior  chief,  named 
Moselekatsee,  who  revolted  from  Chaka,  and  who  is  much 
such  another  character  ;  but  our  accounts  of  these  people 
are  vague  at  present,  and  require  time  to  corroborate  their 
correctness.  You  will  have  to  act  and  decide  when  you 
arrive  there,  and  must  be  guided  by  circumstances.  With 
the  caravan  you  propose  to  travel  with,  I  think  there  will 
not  be  much  danger,  and  if  there  is,  you  must  retreat. 
The  favour  of  these  despots  is  easily  to  be  obtained  by 
judicious  presents,  which  of  course  you  will  not  be  unpro- 
vided with.  I  have  ordered  your  letters  to  the  authorities 
to  be  made  out,  and  you  will  have  the  Governor's  signa- 
ture to  them.     When  do  you  propose  to  start  ? " 

"  We  shall  be  ready  in  a  few  days,  and  have  only  to 
find  a  vessel  going  to  Algoa  Bay." 

"  You  will  be  asked  to  take  charge  of  several  articles 
which  are  to  be  sent  to  the  missionary  station  which  you 
will  pass  on  your  way.  I  presume  you  have  no  objec- 
tion?" 

"  Certainly  not ;  they  deserve  every  encouragement,  and 
any  kindness  or  attention  I  can  show  them  will  give  me 
great  pleasure." 

Alexander    received    many    proposals     from    different 


54  The  Mission 

parties  who  wished  to  join  the  expedition,  but  they  were 
all  civilly  declined.  In  a  few  days,  a  vessel  arrived,  which 
was  about  to  go  round  to  the  settlement  at  Algoa  Bay. 
Their  stores,  horses,  and  dogs,  not  forgetting  Begum,  the 
baboon,  were  all  embarked,  and,  taking  leave  of  Mr 
Fairburn  and  the  Governor,  Alexander,  Major  Henderson, 
and  Mr  Swinton  embarked,  and  on  the  evening  of  the 
fourth  day  found  themselves  safe  at  anchor  in  company 
with  ten  or  twelve  vessels  which  were  lying  in  Algoa 
Bay. 


Chapter  VIII 

The  vessels  which  lay  at  anchor  in  Algoa  Bay  had  just 
arrived  from  England,  with  a  numerous  collection  of 
emigrants,  who,  to  improve  their  fortunes,  had  left  their 
native  land  to  settle  in  this  country.  Many  had  landed, 
but  the  greater  proportion  were  still  on  board  of  the 
vessels.  The  debarkation  was  rapidly  going  on,  and  the 
whole  bay  was  covered  with  boats  landing  with  people 
and  stores,  or  returning  for  more.  The  wind  blowing 
from  the  westward,  there  was  no  surf  on  the  beach  -,  the 
sun  was  bright  and  warm,  and  the  scene  was  busy  and 
interesting ;  but  night  came  on,  and  the  panorama  was 
closed  in. 

Alexander  and  his  companions  remained  on  the  deck 
of  their  vessel  till  an  undisturbed  silence  reigned  where 
but  an  hour  or  two  before  all  was  noise  and  bustle.  The 
stars,  so  beautiful  in  the  southern  climes,  shone  out  in 
cloudless  brilliancy,  the  waters  of  the  bay  were  smooth 
as  glass,  and  reflected  them  so  clearly  that  they  might 
have  fancied  that  there  was  a  heaven  beneath  as  well  as 
above  them.  The  land  presented  a  dark  opaque  mass, 
the  mountains  in  the  distance  appearing  as  if  they  were 
close  to  them,  and  rising  precipitately  from  the  shore. 
All  was  of  one  sombre  hue,  except  where  the  lights  in 


The  Mission  55 

the  houses  in  the  town  twinkled  here  and  there,  announc- 
ing that  some  had  not  yet  dismissed  their  worldly  cares 
and  sought  repose  from  the  labours  of  the  day.  Yet  all 
was  silent,  except  occasionally  the  barking  of  a  dog,  or 
the  voice  of  the  sentry  in  Fort  Frederick,  announcing  that 
"  all  was  well." 

"  What  a  gathering  in  a  small  space  of  so  many  people, 
with  so  many  different  histories,  so  many  causes  for  leav- 
ing their  native  land,  and  with  so  many  different  fortunes 
in  store  for  them,  must  there  be  on  board  of  an  emigrant 
ship,"  observed  Mr  Swinton. 

"  Yet  all  united  in  one  feeling,  and  instigated  by  the 
same  desire, — that  of  independence,  and  if  possible,  of 
wealth,"  rejoined  Major  Henderson. 

"  Of  that  there  can  be  no  doubt,"  said  Alexander ; 
"but  it  must  be  almost  like  beginning  a  new  life;  so 
many  ties  broken  by  the  vast  ocean  which  has  separated 
them ;  new  interests  usurping  the  place  of  old  ones  ;  all 
novelty  and  adventure  to  look  forward  to  ;  new  scenes 
added  to  new  hopes  and  to  new  fears  ;  but  we  must  not 
remain  too  long  even  to  watch  these  beautiful  heavens, 
for  we  must  rise  at  daylight,  so  I  shall  set  the  example, 
and  wish  you  both  good-night." 

At  daylight  on  the  following  morning,  the  long-boat 
was  hoisted  out,  and  the  horses  safely  conveyed  on  shore. 
After  a  hasty  breakfast,  Alexander  and  his  two  companions 
landed  to  see  if  it  were  possible  to  obtain  any  roof  under 
which  they  could  shelter  themselves  ;  but  the  number  of 
emigrants  who  had  arrived  put  that  out  of  the  question, 
every  house  and  every  bed  being  engaged.  This  was  a 
great  disappointment,  as  they  had  no  wish  to  return  on 
board  and  reoccupy  the  confined  space  which  had  been 
allotted  to  them. 

Having  found  accommodation  for  their  horses,  they 
proceeded  to  examine  the  town  and  resume  their  search 
for  lodgings.  The  streets  presented  a  bustling  and 
animated  scene ;  wagons  with  goods,  or  returning  empty 
with  their  long  teams  of  oxen  ;  horses,  sheep,  and  other 


S6  The  Mission 

animals  just  landed;  loud  talking,  busy  inquirers  ;  running 
to  and  fro  of  men  ;  Hottentots  busy  with  the  goods,  or 
smoking  their  pipes  in  idle  survey  ;  crates  and  boxes,  and 
packages  of  all  descriptions,  mixed  up  with  agricultural 
implements  and  ironware,  lining  each  side  of  the  road, 
upon  which  were  seated  wives  and  daughters  watching 
the  property,  and  children  looking  round  with  astonish- 
ment, or  playing  or  crying. 

Further  out  of  the  town  were  to  be  seen  tents  pitched 
by  the  emigrants,  who  had  provided  themselves  with  such 
necessaries  before  they  had  quitted  England,  and  who  were 
bivouacking  like  so  many  gipsies,  independent  of  lodgings 
and  their  attendant  expenses,  and  cooking  their  own  pro- 
visions in  kettles  or  frying-pans.  As  Alexander  perceived 
the  latter,  he  said,  "  At  all  events,  we  have  found  lodgings 
now  ;  I  never  thought  of  that." 

"  How  do  you  mean  ? " 

"  I  have  two  tents  in  the  luggage  I  brought  from  Cape 
Town ;  we  must  get  them  on  shore  and  do  as  these  people 
have  done." 

"  Bravo  !  I  am  glad  to  hear  that,"  replied  Major 
Henderson ;  "  anything  better  than  remaining  on  board 
to  be  nibbled  by  the  cockroaches.  Shall  we  return  at 
once  ? " 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Mr  Swinton ;  "  we  have  but  to 
get  our  mattresses  and  a  few  other  articles." 

"  Leave  my  man  to  do  all  that,"  said  the  Major  ;  "  he  is 
used  to  it.  In  India  we  almost  live  in  tents  when  up  the 
country.  But  here  comes  one  that  I  should  know ; — 
Maxwell,  I  believe  ?  " 

"  Even  so,  my  dear  Henderson,"  replied  the  military 
officer  who  had  been  thus  addressed  ;  "  why,  what 
brought  you  here  ? — surely  you  are  not  a  settler  ?  " 

*.*  No  ;  I  am  here  because  I  am  not  a  settler,"  replied 
Henderson,  laughing;  "lam  always  on  the  move;  I  am 
merely  on  my  way  with  my  two  friends  here  to  shoot  a 
hippopotamus.  Allow  me  to  introduce  Mr  Wilmot  and  Mr 
Swinton.     But  I  see  you  are  on  duty ;  are  you  in  the  fort  ?" 


The  Mission  $y 

"  Yes  ;  I  came  from  Somerset  about  a  month  back.  Can 
I  be  of  any  use  to  you  ? " 

"  That  depends  on  circumstances  ;  we  are  now  going  on 
board  for  our  tents  to  pitch  them  on  the  hill  there,  as  we 
can  get  no  lodgings." 

"Well,  I  cannot  offer  you  beds  in  the  fort,  but  I  think 
if  you  were  to  pitch  your  tents  outside  the  fort,  on  the 
glacis,  you  would  be  better  than  on  the  hill ;  your  baggage 
would  be  safer,  and  I  should  be  more  able  to  render  you 
any  attention  or  assistance  you  may  require." 

"  An  excellent  idea;  if  it  were  only  on  account  of  the 
baggage,"  replied  Henderson ;  "  we  accept  your  offer  with 
pleasure." 

"Well  then,  get  them  on  shore  as  quick  as  you  can; 
my  men  will  soon  have  them  out  for  you  and  assist  in 
transporting  your  luggage ;  and  don't  distress  yourself 
about  your  dinner,  I  will  contrive  to  have  something 
cooked  for  you." 

"  A  friend  in  need  is  a  friend  indeed,  my  good  fellow. 
We  will  accept  your  offers  as  freely  as  they  are  made ;  so, 
farewell  for  an  hour  or  so." 

As  they  parted  with  Captain  Maxwell,  Henderson 
observed,  "That  was  a  lucky  meeting,  for  we  shall  now 
get  on  well ;  Maxwell  is  an  excellent  fellow,  and  he  will 
be  very  useful  to  us  in  making  our  purchases,  as  he  knows 
the  people  and  the  country  ;  and  our  baggage  will  be  safe 
from  all  pilferers." 

"It  is  indeed  very  fortunate,"  replied  Mr  Swinton ; 
"  where  did  you  know  Captain  Maxwell  ? " 

"  In  India.  We  have  often  been  out  hunting  tigers 
together.  How  he  would  like  to  be  of  our  party,  but  that 
is  of  course  impossible." 

"  But  how  shall  we  manage  about  our  living,  Major 
Henderson  ?  "  observed  Wilmot ;  "it  will  never  do  to 
quarter  ourselves  on  your  friend." 

"  Of  course  not ;  we  should  soon  eat  up  his  pay  and 
allowances.  No,  no  ;  we  will  find  dinners,  and  he  will 
help  us  to  cook  them  first  and  eat  them  afterwards." 


$S  The  Mission 

"  Upon  such  terms,  I  shall  gladly  take  up  my  quarters 
in  the  fort,"  replied  Alexander.  "  But  which  is  our  boat 
out  of  all  these  ?  " 

"  Here,  sir,"  cried  out  one  of  the  sailors  ;  "  come  along, 
my  lads,"  continued  he  to  the  other  men,  who  were  loung- 
ing about,  and  who  all  jumped  into  the  boat,  which  pushed 
off,  and  they  were  soon  on  board  of  the  ship. 

As  the  master  of  the  vessel  was  equally  glad  to  get  rid 
of  his  passengers  and  their  luggage,  as  they  were  to  leave, 
the  utmost  expedition  was  used  by  all  parties,  and  in  a  few 
hours  everything  was  landed,  Begum,  the  baboon,  being 
perched  upon  the  stores  conveyed  in  the  last  boat.  A 
party  of  soldiers  sent  down  by  Captain  Maxwell  assisted 
the  seamen  to  carry  the  various  packages  up  to  the  fort, 
and  before  the  evening  closed  in,  the  tents  were  pitched, 
their  beds  made  up,  and  their  baggage  safely  housed, 
while  they  were  amusing  themselves,  after  dining  with 
Captain  Maxwell,  leaning  over  the  parapet  and  watching 
the  passing  and  repassing  of  the  boats  which  were  unlading 
the  vessels. 

As  there  was  little  chance  of  rain  in  the  present  season, 
they  lay  down  on  their  mattresses  in  perfect  security  and 
comfort,  and  did  not  wake  up  the  next  morning  until 
breakfast  was  ready.  After  breakfast  they  sallied  out  with 
Captain  Maxwell  to  look  after  wagons  and  oxen,  and  as  on 
the  arrival  of  the  emigrants,  a  number  of  wagons  had  been 
sent  down  to  take  them  to  their  destinations,  Captain 
Maxwell  soon  fell  in  with  some  of  the  Dutch  boors  of  the 
interior  with  whom  he  had  been  acquainted,  and  who  had 
come  down  with  their  wagons ;  but  previous  to  making 
any  bargains,  Alexander  went  with  Captain  Maxwell  to  the 
landroost,  for  whom  he  had  brought  a  letter  from  the 
Governor. 

This  gentleman  immediately  joined  the  party,  and 
through  his  intervention,  before  night  four  excellent 
wagons  with  their  tilts  and  canvas  coverings,  and  four 
span  of  oxen  of  fourteen  each,  were  bought  and  promised 
to  be  brought  down  and  delivered  up  in   good  order,  as 


The  Mission  59 

soon  as  they  had  carried  up  the  freights  with  which  they 
were  charged. 

As  these  wagons  could  not  return  under  four  days,  the 
next  object  that  they  had  in  view  was  to  procure  some 
more  horses,  and  here  they  met  with  difficulty  ;  for,  Major 
Henderson,  who,  as  an  excellent  judge  of  horses,  was 
requested  to  select  them,  would  not  accept  of  many  that 
were  offered.  Still  they  had  plenty  of  time,  as  the 
wagons  would  require  fitting  out  previous  to  their  depar- 
ture, and  this  would  be  a  work  of  some  days ;  and  many 
articles  which  they  had  decided  to  procure  at  Algoa  Bay, 
instead  of  the  Cape,  were  now  to  be  sought  for  and 
selected. 

At  the  time  appointed,  the  wagons  and  teams  were 
delivered  over  and  paid  for.  Carpenters  were  then 
engaged,  and  the  wagons  were  fitted  out  with  lockers  all 
round  them,  divided  off  to  contain  the  luggage  separate, 
so  that  they  might  be  able  to  obtain  in  a  minute  anything 
that  they  might  require.  While  this  work  was  proceeding, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  landroost,  they  were  engaging 
Hottentots  and  other  people  to  join  the  expedition,  some 
as  drivers  to  the  wagons,  others  as  huntsmen,  and  to 
perform  such  duties  as  might  be  required  of  them.  Some 
very  steady  brave  men  were  selected,  but  it  was  impossible 
to  make  up  the  whole  force  which  they  wished  to  take  of 
people  of  known  character ;  many  of  them  were  engaged 
rather  from  their  appearance,  their  promises,  and  the 
characters  they  obtained  from  others  or  gave  themselves, 
than  from  any  positive  knowledge  of  them.  This  could 
not  be  avoided  ;  and  as  they  had  it  in  their  power  to  dis- 
miss them  for  bad  conduct,  it  was  to  be  presumed  that 
they  could  procure  others. 

It  was  more  than  three  weeks  before  everything  was 
ready  for  their  departure,  and  then  the  caravan  was 
composed  as  follows  : — 

The  persons  who  belonged  to  it  were  our  three  gentle- 
men ;  the  servant  of  Major  Henderson  ;  eight  drivers  of 
the  teams  of  oxen ;  twelve  Hottentot  and  other  hunters 


60  The  Mission 

(for  some  of  them  were  of  a  mixed  race)  ;  two  Hottentots 
who  had  charge  of  the  horses  ;  and  two  others  who  had 
charge  of  a  flock  of  Cape  sheep,  which  were  to  follow  the 
caravan,  and  serve  as  food  until  they  could  procure  oxen 
by  purchase  or  game  with  their  guns  :  so  that  the  whole 
force  of  the  party  amounted  to  twenty  men  j  two  Hottentot 
women,  wives  of  the  principal  men,  also  accompanied  the 
caravan  to  wash  and  assist  in  cooking. 

The  animals  belonging  to  the  caravan  consisted  of  fifty- 
six  fine  oxen,  which  composed  the  teams ;  twelve  horses, 
as  Major  Henderson  could  only  procure  six  at  Algoa  Bay, 
or  they  would  have  purchased  more ;  thirteen  dogs  of 
various  sizes ;  and  Begum,  the  baboon  belonging  to 
Captain  Henderson  :  to  these  were  to  be  added  the  flock 
of  sheep. 

The  wagons  were  fitted  out  as  follows,  chiefly  under 
the  direction  of  Major  Henderson  and  Mr  Swinton. 

The  first  wagon,  which  was  called  Mr  Wilmot's  wagon, 
was  fitted  up  with  boxes  or  lockers  all  round,  and  con- 
tained all  the  stores  for  their  own  use,  such  as  tea,  sugar, 
coffee,  cheeses,  hams,  tongues,  biscuits,  soap,  and  wax 
candles,  wine  and  spirits  in  bottles,  besides  large  rolls  of 
tobacco  for  the  Hottentots  or  presents,  and  Alexander's 
clothes  ;  his  mattress  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  wagon, 
between  the  lockers.  The  wagon  was  covered  with  a 
double  sail-cloth  tilt,  and  with  curtains  before  and  behind ; 
the  carpenter's  tools  were  also  in  one  of  the  lockers  of  this 
wagon. 

The  second  wagon  was  called  Mr  Swinton's  waggon ; 
it  was  fitted  up  with  lockers  in  the  same  way  as  the  other, 
but  it  had  also  a  large  chest  with  a  great  quantity  of 
drawers  for  insects,  bottles  of  spirits  for  animals,  and 
everything  necessary  for  preserving  them ;  a  ream  or  two 
of  paper  for  drying  plants,  and  several  other  articles,  more 
particularly  a  medicine  chest  well  filled,  for  Mr  Swinton 
was  not  unacquainted  with  surgery  and  physic.  The 
other  lockers  were  filled  with  a  large  quantity  of  glass 
beads  and  cutlery  for  presents,  several  hundred  pounds  of 


The  Mission  61 

bullets,  ready  cast,  and  all  the  kitchen  ware  and  crockery. 
It  had  the  same  covering  as  the  first,  and  Mr  Swinton's 
mattress  was  at  night  spread  in  the  middle  between  the 
lockers. 

The  third  wagon  was  called  the  armoury,  or  the  Major's 
wagon ;  it  was  not  fitted  up  like  the  two  first.  The 
whole  bottom  of  it  was  occupied  with  moveable  chests, 
and  four  large  casks  of  spirits,  and  the  major  made  up  his 
bed  on  the  top  of  the  chests.  In  the  chests  were  gun- 
powder in  bottles  and  a  quantity  of  small  shot  for  present 
use  ;  tobacco  in  large  rolls ;  I  cwt.  of  snuff  j  all  the 
heavy  tools,  spades,  shovels,  and  axes,  and  a  variety  of 
other  useful  articles. 

The  tilt-frame  was  much  stouter  than  that  of  the  two 
other  wagons,  for  the  hoops  met  each  other  so  as  to  make 
it  solid.  It  was  covered  with  a  tarred  sail-cloth  so  as  to 
be  quite  waterproof,  and  under  the  tilt-frame  were 
suspended  all  the  guns  except  the  two  which  Alexander 
and  Mr  Swinton  retained  in  their  own  wagons  in  case  of 
emergency.  The  back  and  front  of  this  wagon  were 
closed  with  boards,  which  were  let  down  and  pulled  up 
on  hinges,  so  that  it  was  a  sort  of  little  fortress  in  case  of 
need,  and  as  it  could  be  locked  up  at  any  time,  the 
Hottentots  were  not  able  to  get  at  the  casks  of  spirits 
without  committing  a  sort  of  burglary.  Begum  was  tied 
up  in  this  wagon  at  night. 

The  fourth  wagon  was  called  the  store  wagon,  and 
contained  several  articles  which  were  not  immediately 
wanted,  such  as  casks  of  flour  and  bags  of  rice :  it  also 
held  most  of  the  ammunition,  having  six  casks  of  gun- 
powder, a  quantity  of  lead,  two  coils  of  rope,  iron  bars, 
bags  of  nails  of  various  sizes,  rolls  of  brass  wire,  and 
the  two  tents,  with  three  chairs  and  a  small  table.  Like 
the  wagon  of  Major  Henderson,  it  was  covered  with  a 
waterproof  cloth. 

Such  was  the  fit-out  which  was  considered  necessary 
for  this  adventurous  expedition,  and  the  crowds  who 
came  to  see  the  preparations  for  the  great  hunting  party, 


62  The  Mission 

as  it  was  called,  were  so  great  and  so  annoying,  that  the 
utmost  haste  was  made  to  quit  the  town.  At  last  the 
wagons  were  all  loaded,  the  Hottentots  collected  together 
from  the  liquor  shops,  their  agreements  read  to  them  by 
the  landroost,  and  any  departure  from  their  agreements, 
or  any  misconduct,  threatened  with  severe  punishment. 

The  horses  and  oxen  were  brought  in,  and  the  next 
morning  was  fixed  for  their  departure.  Having  taken 
leave  of  the  landroost  and  other  gentlemen  of  the  town 
who  had  loaded  them  with  civilities,  they  retired  to  the 
fort,  and  passed  the  major  part  of  the  night  with  Captain 
Maxwell  j  but  to  avoid  the  crowd  which  would  have 
accompanied  them,  and  have  impeded  their  progress,  they 
had  resolved  to  set  off  before  daylight.  At  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning  the  Hottentots  were  roused  up,  the  oxen 
yoked,  and  an  hour  before  daybreak  the  whole  train  had 
quitted  the  town,  and  were  travelling  at  a  slow  pace, 
lighted  only  by  the  brilliant  stars  of  the  southern  sky. 


Chapter  IX 

The  plans  of  our  travellers  had  been  well  digested. 
They  had  decided  that  they  would  first  prosecute  the 
object  of  their  journey  by  proceeding  straight  through 
the  Caffre  country  to  the  borders  of  the  Undata  River, 
near  or  whereabout  it  was  reported  that  the  descendants 
of  the  whites  would  be  found  located ;  and  as  soon  as 
Alexander  had  accomplished  his  mission  that  they  would 
cross  the  chain  of  mountains,  and  return  through  the 
Bushmen  and  the  Koranna  country.  Their  reason  for 
making  this  arrangement  was,  that  throughout  the  whole 
of  the  Caffre  country,  with  the  exception  of  lions  and 
elephants  in  the  forests  and  hippopotami  in  the  rivers, 
there  was  little  or  no  game  to  be  found,  the  Caffres 
having  almost  wholly  destroyed  it. 

This  plan  had  been  suggested  by  Major  Henderson, 


The  Mission  63 

and  had  been  approved  by  Alexander  and  Mr  Swinton, — 
Alexander  being  equally  desirous  as  the  Major  to  have 
plenty  of  field-sport,  and  Mr  Swinton  anxious  to  increase 
his  stock  and  knowledge  of  the  animal  kingdom.  There 
was  little  to  be  feared  in  their  advance  through  the  Caffre 
country,  as  the  missionaries  had  already  planted  two 
missions,  one  at  Butterworth  and  the  other  at  Chumie ; 
and  the  first  of  these  Alexander  had  decided  upon  visiting, 
and  had,  in  consequence,  several  packages  in  his  wagon 
which  had  been  entrusted  to  his  care. 

It  was  on  the  7th  of  May  1829,  that  the  caravan  quitted 
Algoa  Bay  for  Graham's  Town.  The  weather  had  for 
some  weeks  been  fine,  the  heavy  rains  having  ceased, 
and  the  pasturage  was  now  luxuriant ;  the  wagons  pro- 
ceeded at  a  noiseless  pace  over  the  herbage,  the  sleepy 
Hottentots  not  being  at  all  inclined  to  exert  themselves 
unnecessarily.  Alexander,  Swinton,  and  Henderson  were 
on  horseback,  a  little  ahead  of  the  first  wagon. 

"I  don't  know  how  you  feel,"  said  the  Major;  "but 
I  feel  as  if  I  were  a  prisoner  just  released  from  his  chains. 
I  breathe  the  air  of  independence  and  liberty  now.  After 
the  bustle,  and  noise,  and  crowding  together  of  the  town, 
to  find  ourselves  here  so  quiet  and  solitary  is  freedom." 

"  I  had  the  same  feeling,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  this 
wide-extended  plain,  of  which  we  cannot  yet  discern  the 
horizontal  edge ;  these  brilliant  stars  scattered  over  the 
heavens,  and  shining  down  upon  us ;  no  sound  to  meet 
our  ears  but  the  creaking  of  the  wagon  wheels  in  the 
slow  and  measured  pace,  is  to  me  delightful.  They  say 
man  is  formed  for  society,  and  so  he  is,  but  it  is  very 
delightful  occasionally  to  be  alone." 

"  Yes  •,  alone  as  we  are,"  replied  Swinton,  laughing  ; 
"  that  is,  with  a  party  of  thirty  people,  well  armed,  in 
search  of  adventure.  To  be  clear  of  the  bustle  of  the  town, 
and  no  longer  cooped  up  in  the  fort,  is  pleasant  enough  \ 
but  I  suspect,  to  be  quite  alone  in  these  African  wilds 
would  be  anything  but  agreeable." 

"  Perhaps  so." 


64  The  Mission 

"  Neither  would  you  feel  so  much  at  ease  if  you  knew 
that  your  chance  of  to-morrow's  dinner  was  to  depend 
wholly  upon  what  you  might  procure  with  your  gun. 
There  is  a  satisfaction  in  knowing  that  you  have  four  well 
filled  wagons  behind  you." 

"  I  grant  that  also,"  replied  the  Major ;  "  but  still  there 
is  solitude  even  with  this  company,  and  I  feel  it." 

"  A  solitary  caravan — but  grant  that  there  is  some 
difference  between  that  and  a  solitary  individual,"  rejoined 
Swinton  ;  "  however,  we  have  not  come  to  solitude  yet, 
for  we  shall  find  Dutch  boors  enough  between  this  and 
Graham's  Town." 

"  I  think,  Wilmot,"  observed  Henderson,  "  that  I  should, 
if  I  were  you,  proceed  by  slow  stages  at  first,  that  we  may 
get  our  men  into  some  kind  of  order  and  discipline,  and  also 
that  we  may  find  out  whether  there  are  any  who  will  not  suit 
us  ;  we  can  discharge  them  at  Graham's  Town,  and  procure 
others  in  their  place,  at  the  same  time  that  we  engage  our 
interpreters  and  guides." 

"I  think  your  plan  very  good,"  replied  Alexander; 
"  besides,  we  shall  not  have  our  wagons  properly  laden 
and  arranged  until  we  have  been  out  three  or  four 
days." 

"  One  thing  is  absolutely  necessary,  which  is,  to  have  a 
guard  kept  every  night,"  said  Swinton  ;  "  and  there  ought 
to  be  two  men  on  guard  at  a  time  ;  for  one  of  them  is 
certain  to  fall  asleep,  if  not  both.  I  know  the  Hottentots 
well." 

"  They  will  be  excellent  guards,  by  your  account,"  said 
Alexander  ;  "  however,  the  dogs  will  serve  us  more  faith- 
fully." 

"  I  do  not  mean  my  remark  to  include  all  Hottentots  ; 
some  are  very  faithful,  and  do  their  duty  ;  but  it  com- 
prehends the  majority." 

"  Are  they  courageous  ?  "  inquired  Alexander. 

"  Yes,  certainly,  they  may  be  considered  as  a  brave  race 
of  men  ;  but  occasionally  there  is  a  poltroon,  and,  like  all 
cowards,  he  brags  more  than  the  rest." 


The  Mission  6$ 

"  I've  a  strong  suspicion  that  we  have  one  of  that  kind 
among  our  hunters,"  replied  Henderson  ;  "  however,  it  is 
not  fair  to  prejudge  ;  I  may  be  mistaken." 

"  I  think  I  know  which  you  refer  to,  nevertheless,"  said 
Alexander  ;  "it  is  the  great  fellow  that  they  call  Big 
Adam." 

"  You  have  hit  upon  the  man,  and,  to  a  certain  degree, 
corroborated  my  opinion  of  him.  But  the  day  is  dawning, 
the  sun  will  soon  be  above  those  hills." 

"  When  we  stop  I  will  have  some  grease  put  to  those 
wagon  wheels,"  said  Alexander. 

"  I  fear  it  will  be  of  little  use,"  replied  the  Major  ; 
"  creak  they  will.  I  don't  know  whether  the  oxen  here 
are  like  those  in  India ;  but  this  I  know,  that  the  creaking 
of  the  carts  and  hackeries  there  is  fifty  times  worse  than 
this.  The  natives  never  grease  the  wheels  ;  they  say  the 
oxen  would  not  go  on,  if  they  did  not  hear  the  music 
behind  them." 

"  Besides,  the  creaking  of  the  wheels  will  by-and-bye  be 
of  service  •,  when  we  are  travelling  through  grass  higher 
than  our  heads,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  stop  behind  a 
minute,  if  we  have  not  the  creaking  of  the  wheels  to  direct 
us  how  to  follow." 

"  Well,  then,  I  suppose  we  must  save  our  grease/'  said 
Alexander. 

"  In  a  very  few  days  you  will  be  so  accustomed  to  it," 
said  the  Major,  "  that  if  it  were  to  cease  you  would  feel 
the  loss  of  it." 

"Well,  it  may  be  so;  use  is  second  nature;  but  at 
present  I  feel  as  if  the  loss  would  be  gain.  There  is  the 
sun  just  showing  himself  above  the  hill.  Shall  we  halt, 
or  go  on  ? " 

"  Go  on  for  another  hour,  and  the  men  can  thus  examine 
the  traces  and  the  wagons  by  daylight,  and  then,  when 
we  stop,  we  can  remedy  any  defects." 

"  Be  it  so ;  there  is  a  house,  is  there  not,  on  the  rising 
ground,  as  far  as  you  can  see  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  think  so,"  replied  the  Major. 

M  E 


66  The  Mission 

"I  know  it  very  well,"  said  Swinton  ;  "it  is  the  farm 
of  a  Dutch  boor,  Milius,  whom  we  saw  at  Algoa  Bay. 
I  did  not  think  that  we  had  got  on  so  fast.  It  is  about 
three  miles  off,  so  it  will  just  be  convenient  for  our  break- 
fast. It  will  take  us  a  good  hour  to  arrive  there,  and  then 
we  will  unyoke  the  oxen.     How  many  have  we  yoked  ? " 

"  Ten  to  each  wagon.  The  other  sixteen  are  follow- 
ing with  the  sheep  and  horses  j  they  are  as  relays." 

"  Let  us  gallop  on,"  said  the  Major. 

"  Agreed,"  replied  the  others  j  and  putting  spurs  to 
their  horses,  they  soon  arrived  at  the  farmhouse  of  the 
Dutch  planter. 

They  were  saluted  with  the  barking  and  clamour  of 
about  twenty  dogs,  which  brought  out  one  of  the  young 
boors,  who  drove  away  the  dogs  by  pelting  them  with 
bullock  horns,  and  other  bones  of  animals  which  were 
strewed  about.  He  then  requested  them  to  dismount. 
The  old  boor  soon  appeared,  and  gave  them  a  hearty 
welcome,  handing  down  from  the  shelf  a  large  brandy- 
bottle,  and  recommending  a  dram,  of  which  he  partook 
himself,  stating  that  it  was  good  brandy,  and  made  from 
his  own  peaches. 

Shortly  afterwards  the  wife  of  the  boor  made  her 
appearance,  and  having  saluted  them,  took  up  her  station 
at  a  small  table,  with  the  tea  apparatus  before  her.  That 
refreshing  beverage  she  now  poured  out  for  the  visitors, 
handing  a  box  with  some  sugar-candy  in  it,  for  them  to 
put  a  bit  into  their  mouths,  and  keep  there  as  they  drank 
their  tea,  by  way  of  sweetening  it.  The  old  boor  told 
them,  that  he  had  expected  them,  as  he  had  been  informed 
that  they  were  to  set  out  that  day,  but  he  had  concluded 
that  they  would  arrive  in  the  afternoon,  and  not  so  early. 

We  may  as  well  here  give  a  description  of  a  Dutch 
farmer's  house  at  the  Cape  settlement. 

It  was  a  large  square  building,  the  wall  built  up  of 
clay,  and  then  plastered  with  a  composition  made  by  the 
boors,  which  becomes  excessively  hard  in  time ;  after 
which  it  is  whitewashed.     The  roof  was  thatched  with 


The  Mission  6y 

a  hard  sort  of  rushes,  more  durable  and  less  likely  to 
catch  fire  than  straw.  There  was  no  ceiling  under  the 
roof,  but  the  rafters  overhead  were  hung  with  a  motley 
assemblage  of  the  produce  of  the  chase  and  farm,  as  large 
whips  made  of  rhinoceros  hide,  leopard  and  lion  skins, 
ostrich  eggs  and  feathers,  strings  of  onions,  rolls  of 
tobacco,  bamboos,  &c. 

The  house  contained  one  large  eating  room,  a  small 
private  room,  and  two  bedrooms.  The  windows  were 
not  glazed,  but  closed  with  skins  every  night.  There 
was  no  chimney  or  stove  in  the  house,  all  the  cooking 
being  carried  on  in  a  small  outhouse. 

The  furniture  was  not  very  considerable  ;  a  large  table, 
a  few  chairs  and  stools,  some  iron  pots  and  kettles,  a  set 
of  Dutch  teacups,  a  teapot,  and  a  brass  kettle,  with  a 
heater.  The  large,  brass-clasped,  family  Dutch  Bible 
occupied  a  small  table,  at  which  the  mistress  of  the  house 
presided,  and  behind  her  chair  were  the  carcases  of  two 
sheep  suspended  from  a  beam. 

Inquiries  about  the  news  at  the  Cape,  and  details  of  all 
the  information  which  our  travellers  could  give,  had 
occupied  the  time  till  breakfast  was  put  on  the  table.  It 
consisted  of  mutton  boiled  and  stewed,  butter,  milk,  fruits, 
and  good  white  bread.  Before  breakfast  was  over  the 
caravan  arrived,  and  the  oxen  were  unyoked.  Our 
travellers  passed  away  two  hours  in  going  over  the  garden 
and  orchards,  and  visiting  the  cattle  folds,  and  seeing  the 
cows  milked.  They  then  yoked  the  teams,  and  wishing 
the  old  boor  a  farewell,  and  thanking  him  for  his  hospitality, 
they  resumed  their  journey. 

"Is  it  always  the  custom  here  to  receive  travellers  in 
this  friendly  way  ? "  observed  Alexander,  as  they  rode 
away. 

"  Always,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  there  are  no  inns  on  the 
road,  and  every  traveller  finds  a  welcome.  It  is  con- 
sidered a  matter  of  course." 

"  Do  they  never  take  payment  ?  " 

"  Never,  and  it  must  not  be  offered  ;  but  they  will  take 


68  The  Mission 

the  value  of  the  corn  supplied  to  your  horses,  as  that  is 
quite  another  thing.  One  peculiarity  you  will  observe  as 
you  go  along,  which  is,  that  the  Dutch  wife  is  a  fixture  at 
the  little  tea-table  all  day  long.  She  never  leaves  it,  and 
the  tea  is  always  ready  for  every  traveller  who  claims 
their  hospitality  ;  it  is  an  odd  custom." 

'.'  And  I  presume  that  occasions  the  good  woman  to 
become  so  very  lusty." 

"  No  doubt  of  it ;  the  whole  exercise  of  the  day  is  from 
the  bedroom  to  the  tea-pot,  and  back  again,"  replied 
Swinton,  laughing. 

"  One  would  hardly  suppose  that  this  apparently  good- 
natured  and  hospitable  people  could  have  been  guilty  of 
such  cruelty  to  the  natives  as  Mr  Fairburn  represented." 

"Many  of  our  virtues  and  vices  are  brought  prominently 
forward  by  circumstances,"  replied  Swinton.  "  Hospi- 
tality in  a  thinly-inhabited  country  is  universal,  and  a 
Dutch  boor  is  hospitable  to  an  excess.  Their  cruelty  to 
the  Hottentots  and  other  natives  arises  from  the  prejudices 
of  education :  they  have  from  their  childhood  beheld  them 
treated  as  slaves,  and  do  not  consider  them  as  fellow- 
creatures.  As  Mr  Fairburn  truly  said,  nothing  demoralises 
so  much,  or  so  hardens  the  heart  of  man,  as  slavery  exist- 
ing and  sanctioned  by  law." 

"  But  are  not  the  Dutch  renowned  for  cruelty  and  love 
of  money  ? " 

"  They  have  obtained  that  reputation,  and  I  fear  there  is 
some  reason  for  it.  They  took  the  lead,  it  must  be 
remembered,  as  a  commercial  nation,  more  commercial 
than  the  Portuguese,  whose  steps  they  followed  so  closely  : 
that  this  eager  pursuit  of  wealth  should  create  a  love  of 
money  is  but  too  natural,  and  to  obtain  money,  men, 
under  the  influence  of  that  passion,  will  stop  at  nothing. 
Their  cruelties  in  the  East  are  on  record ;  but  the  question 
is,  whether  the  English,  who  followed  the  path  of  the 
Dutch,  would  not,  had  they  gone  before  them,  have  been 
guilty  of  the  same  crimes  to  obtain  the  same  ends  ?  The 
Spaniards  were  just  as  cruel  in  South  America,  and  the 


The  Mission  69 

Portuguese  have  not  fallen  short  of  them — nay,  I  doubt  if 
our  own  countrymen  can  be  acquitted  in  many  instances. 
The  only  difference  is,  that  the  other  nations  who  pre- 
ceded them  in  discoveries  had  greater  temptation,  because 
there  were  more  riches  and  wealth  to  be  obtained." 

"Your  remarks  are  just ;  well  may  we  say  in  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  '  Lead  us  not  into  temptation,'  for  we  are  all  too 
frail  to  withstand  it." 

At  noon  they  again  unyoked,  and  allowed  the  cattle  to 
graze  for  an  interval ;  after  which  they  proceeded  till  an 
hour  before  dark,  when  they  mustered  the  men,  and  gave 
them  their  several  charges  and  directions.  At  Alexander's 
request  the  Major  took  this  upon  himself,  and  he  made  a 
long  speech  to  the  Hottentots,  stating  that  it  was  their 
intention  to  reward  those  who  did  their  duty,  and  to 
punish  severely  those  who  did  not.  They  then  collected 
wood  for  the  fires,  and  had  their  supper, — the  first  meal 
which  they  had  taken  out  of  doors.  Mahommed,  the 
Parsee  servant  of  Major  Henderson,  cooked  very  much  to 
their  satisfaction  ;  and  having  tied  the  oxen  to  the  wagons, 
to  accustom  them  to  the  practice  more  than  from  any 
danger  to  be  apprehended,  the  watch  was  set  to  keep  up 
the  fires :  they  then  all  retired  to  bed,  the  gentlemen 
sleeping  in  their  wagons,  and  the  Hottentots  underneath 
them,  or  by  the  sides  of  the  fires  which  had  been  lighted. 

It  will  be  unnecessary  to  enter  into  a  detail  of  the 
journey  to  Graham's  Town,  which  was  performed  without 
difficulty.  They  did  not  arrive  there  until  eight  days 
after  their  departure  from  Algoa  Bay,  as  they  purposely 
lost  time  on  the  road,  that  things  might  find  their  places. 
At  Graham's  Town  they  received  every  kindness  and 
attention  from  the  few  military  who  were  there,  and  the 
landroost.  Here  they  dismissed  three  of  the  men,  who 
had  remained  drunk  in  the  liquor  houses  during  their  stay, 
and  hired  nine  more,  who  were  well  recommended : 
among  these  were  two  perfectly  well  acquainted  with  the 
Caffre  language  and  country ;  so  that  they  were  service- 
able both  as  interpreters  and  guides.     The  day  after  their 


70  The  Mission 

arrival,  when  they  were  out  in  the  skirts  of  the  town,  Mr 
Swinton  perceived  something  moving  in  the  bushes.  He 
advanced  cautiously,  and  discovered  that  it  was  a  poor 
little  Bushman  boy,  about  twelve  years  old,  quite  naked, 
and  evidently  in  a  state  of  starvation,  having  been  left 
there  in  a  high  fever  by  his  people.  He  was  so  weak  that 
he  could  not  stand,  and  Mr  Swinton  desired  the  Hottentot 
who  was  with  him  to  lift  him  up,  and  carry  him  to  the 
wagons.  Some  medicine  and  good  food  soon  brought  the 
little  fellow  round  again,  and  he  was  able  to  walk  about. 
He  showed  no  disposition  to  leave  them;  indeed  he  would 
watch  for  Mr  Swinton,  and  follow  him  as  far  as  he  could. 
The  child  evidently  appeared  to  feel  attachment  and  grati- 
tude, and  when  they  were  about  to  depart,  Mr  Swinton, 
through  the  medium  of  one  of  the  Hottentots  who  could 
speak  the  language,  asked  him  if  he  would  like  to  stay 
with  them.  The  answer  was  in  the  affirmative,  and  it  was 
decided  that  he  should  accompany  them,  the  Major  observ- 
ing that  he  would  be  a  very  good  companion  for  Begum. 

"  "What  name  shall  we  give  him  ?  "  said  Swinton. 

"  "Why,  as  my  baboon  is  by  title  a  princess,  I  think  we 
cannot  create  him  less  than  a  prince.  Let  us  call  him 
Omrah." 

"  Omrah  be  it  then,"  replied  Mr  Swinton,  "  until  we 
can  name  him  in  a  more  serious  way." 

So  Omrah  was  put  into  the  wagon,  with  Begum  to 
amuse  him,  and  our  travellers  took  their  departure  from 
Graham's  Town. 


Chapter   X 

It  was  in  the  afternoon  that  they  moved  from  Graham's 
Town.  They  had  intended  to  have  started  earlier,  but 
they  found  it  impossible  to  collect  the  Hottentots,  who 
were  taking  their  farewells  of  their  wives  and  the  liquor- 
shops.     As  it  was,  most  of  them  were  in  a  state  of  intoxi- 


The  Mission  71 

cation,  and  it  was  considered  advisable  to  get  them  out  of 
the  town  as  soon  as  possible.  Late  in  the  evening  they 
arrived  at  Hermann's  Kraal,  a  small  military  fort,  where 
they  remained  for  the  night,  to  give  the  Hottentots  an 
opportunity  of  recovering  from  the  effects  of  the  liquor. 
The  next  morning  they  again  started,  and  the  landscape 
now  changed  its  aspect,  being  covered  with  thick  bushes, 
infested  with  wild  beasts. 

A  barren  and  sterile  country  was  soon  spread  before 
them,  the  sun  was  oppressively  hot,  and  not  a  sign  of 
water  was  to  be  observed  in  any  direction.  At  last  they 
arrived  at  a  muddy  pool,  in  which  elephants  had  evidently 
been  enjoying  themselves,  and  the  oxen  and  horses  were 
but  too  glad  to  do  the  same.  At  night  they  halted  as 
before,  having  lighted  fires  to  keep  off  the  wild  beasts  and 
elephants. 

The  following  morning  they  renewed  their  journey  at 
daylight,  and  the  scene  again  changed  •,  they  now  plunged 
into  the  dense  forests  bordering  on  the  Great  Fish  River, 
which  they  forded  in  safety.  The  prospects  all  around 
were  very  beautiful,  the  river  smoothly  gliding  through 
stupendous  mountains  and  precipices,  with  verdant  valleys 
on  each  side  of  its  banks.  In  the  afternoon  they  arrived 
at  Fort  Wiltshire,  the  outermost  defence  of  the  colony, 
situated  on  the  banks  of  Keiskamma.  English  troops  were 
stationed  there,  to  prevent  any  marauding  parties  from 
passing  the  river,  or  to  intercept  them  on  their  return  with 
their  booty. 

As  this  was  the  last  spot  where  they  could  expect  to 
see  any  of  their  countrymen,  and  they  were  kindly  re- 
ceived by  the  officers,  they  agreed  to  remain  two  days, 
that  they  might  obtain  all  the  information  which  they 
could,  and  re-arrange  the  stowing  of  the  wagons  before 
they  started.  The  original  plan  had  been  to  direct  their 
course  to  Chumie,  the  first  missionary  station,  which  was 
about  twenty-five  miles  distant ;  but  as  it  was  out  of  their 
way,  they  now  resolved  to  proceed  direct  to  Butterworth, 
which  was  forty  miles  further  in  the  CafFre  country,  and 


72  The  Mission 

the  more  distant  of  the  two  missions.  Our  party  took 
leave  of  their  kind  entertainers,  and  having  crossed  with- 
out difficulty  at  the  ford  of  the  Keiskamma  River,  had 
passed  the  neutral  ground,  and  were  in  the  land  of  the 
CafFres. 

Up  to  the  present  they  had  very  little  trouble  with  the 
Hottentots  whom  they  had  hired.  As  long  as  they  were 
within  reach  of  the  law  they  behaved  well ;  but,  now  that 
they  had  passed  the  confines  of  the  Cape  territory,  some 
of  them  began  to  show  symptoms  of  insubordination.  The 
dismissal  of  one,  however,  with  an  order  to  go  back 
immediately,  and  threatening  to  shoot  him  if  he  was  ever 
seen  in  the  caravan,  had  the  desired  effect  of  restoring 
order.  The  country  was  now  a  series  of  hills  and  dales, 
occasionally  of  deep  ravines,  and  their  route  lay  through 
the  paths  made  by  the  elephants,  which  were  numerous. 
A  Hottentot,  of  the  name  of  Bremen,  who  was  considered 
as  their  best  man  and  most  practised  hunter,  begged 
Alexander  and  his  companions  to  be  careful  how  they 
went  along,  if  they  preceded  the  rest  on  horseback ;  as  the 
elephants  always  return  by  the  same  path  at  evening,  or 
after  nightfall,  in  whatever  direction  they  may  have  been 
feeding,  and  it  is  very  dangerous  to  intercept  them. 

For  two  days  they  continued  their  course  in  nearly  a 
straight  line  for  the  missionary  establishment.  On  the 
second  evening,  just  about  dusk,  as  they  were  crossing  a 
woody  hill,  by  the  elephants'  path,  being  then  about  200 
yards  in  advance  of  the  wagons,  they  were  saluted  with 
one  of  the  most  hideous  shrieks  that  could  be  conceived. 
Their  horses  started  back ;  they  could  see  nothing, 
although  the  sound  echoed  through  the  hills  for  some 
seconds. 

"  "What  was  that  ?  "  exclaimed  Alexander. 

"  Shout  as  loud  as  you  can,"  cried  the  Major  ;  "  and 
turn  your  horses  to  the  wagons." 

Alexander  and  Swinton  joined  the  Major  in  the  shout, 
and  were  soon  accompanied  by  the  whole  mass  of 
Hottentots,  shouting  and  yelling  as  loud  as  they  could. 


The  Mission  73 

"  Silence,  now,"  cried  the  Major  j  everyone  was  hushed, 
and  they  listened  for  a  few  seconds. 

"It  was  only  one,  sir,  and  he  is  gone,"  said  Bremen. 
"  We  may  go  on." 

"  Only  one  what  ?  "  inquired  Alexander. 

"  An  elephant,  sir,"  replied  the  Hottentot ;  "  it's  well  that 
he  did  not  charge  you  ;  he  would  have  tumbled  you  down 
the  precipice,  horse  and  all.  There  must  be  a  herd  here, 
and  we  had  better  stop  as  soon  as  we  are  down  the  other 
side  of  the  hill." 

"  I  think  so  too,"  replied  the  Major. 

"  I  shall  not  get  that  shriek  out  of  my  ears  for  a 
month,"  said  Alexander ;  "  why,  the  roar  of  a  lion  cannot 
be  so  bad." 

"  Wait  till  you  hear  it,"  replied  Swinton. 

They  had  now  arrived  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  which 
they  had  been  passing,  and  by  the  light  of  the  stars  they 
selected  a  spot  for  their  encampment.  Whether  they 
were  near  to  any  Caffre  kraals,  or  not,  it  was  impossible  to 
say ;  but  they  heard  no  barking  of  dogs  or  lowing  of 
oxen.  Having  collected  all  the  cattle,  they  formed  a 
square  of  the  four  wagons,  and  passed  ropes  from  the 
one  to  the  other ;  the  horses  and  sheep  were  driven  within 
the  square  ;  and  the  oxen  were,  as  usual,  tied  up  to  the 
sides  of  the  wagons. 

It  should  here  be  observed,  that  the  oxen  were  turned 
out  to  graze  early  in  the  morning,  yoked  in  the  afternoon, 
and  they  travelled  then  as  far  as  they  could  after  nightfall, 
to  avoid  the  extreme  heat  of  the  day,  the  continual  visits 
of  the  Caffres,  and  the  risk  of  losing  the  cattle,  if  they 
were  allowed  to  be  loose,  and  fed  during  the  night. 

On  the  night  we  have  been  referring  to,  a  more  than 
usual  number  of  fires  were  lighted  to  keep  off  the  elephants 
and  other  wild  animals.  The  hyenas  and  wolves  were  very 
numerous,  and  prowled  the  whole  night  in  hopes  of 
getting  hold  of  some  of  the  sheep ;  but  as  yet  there  had 
not  been  seen  or  heard  a  lion,  although  an  occasional  track 
had  been  pointed  out  by  the  Hottentots. 


74  The  Mission 

When  the  Hottentots  had  finished  their  labour,  our 
travellers  had  to  wait  till  the  fires  were  lighted  and  a  sheep 
killed  before  they  could  have  their  suppers  cooked  by 
Mahommed.  Begum,  the  baboon,  had  been  released  from 
her  confinement  since  their  crossing  the  Fish  River,  and  as 
usual,  when  they  sat  down,  came  and  made  one  of  the 
party,  generally  creeping  in  close  to  her  master  until 
supper  was  served,  when  she  would  have  her  finger  in 
every  dish,  and  steal  all  she  could,  sometimes  rather  to 
their  annoyance. 

Our  little  Bushman  had  now  quite  recovered  not  only 
his  strength  but  his  gaiety,  and  was  one  of  the  most 
amusing  little  fellows  that  could  be  met  with. 

He  could  not  make  himself  understood,  except  to  one  or 
two  of  the  Hottentots ;  but  he  was  all  pantomime,  trying, 
by  gestures  and  signs,  to  talk  to  Mr  Swinton  and  his 
companions.  He  endeavoured  to  assist  Mahommed  as  much 
as  he  could,  and  appeared  to  have  attached  himself  to  him, 
for  he  kept  no  company  with  the  Hottentots.  He  was 
not  more  than  three  feet  and  a  half  high,  and  with  limbs 
remarkably  delicate,  although  well  made.  His  face  was 
very  much  like  a  monkey's,  and  his  gestures  and  manners 
completely  so  j  he  was  quite  as  active  and  full  of  fun. 
The  watch  had  been  set  as  soon  as  the  fires  were  lighted  ; 
and  close  to  where  Alexander  and  the  others  were  seated, 
Big  Adam,  the  Hottentot  we  have  mentioned  as  having 
raised  doubts  in  the  mind  of  the  Major  as  to  his  courage, 
had  just  mounted  guard,  with  his  gun  in  his  hand.  Omrah 
came  up  to  where  they  were  sitting,  and  they  nodded  and 
smiled  at  him,  and  said,  "  How  do  you  do  ? "  In  English. 

The  boy,  who  had  already  picked  up  a  few  sentences, 
answered  in  the  same  words,  "  How  do  you  do  ? "  and 
then  pointing  to  Big  Adam,  whose  back  was  turned,  he 
began  making  a  number  of  signs,  and  nodding  his  head  5 
at  last  he  bent  down,  putting  his  arm  in  front  of  him,  and 
raising  it  like  an  elephant's  trunk,  walking  with  the 
measured  steps  of  that  animal,  so  as  fully  to  make  them 
understand    that   he   intended    to    portray    an    elephant. 


The  Mission  75 

Having  so  done,  he  went  up  behind  Big  Adam,  and  gave  a 
shriek  so  exactly  like  that  which  the  elephant  had  given 
an  hour  before,  that  the  Hottentot  started  up,  dropped  his 
musket,  and  threw  himself  flat  on  the  ground,  in  order 
that  the  supposed  animal  might  pass  by  him  unperceived. 

The  other  Hottentots  had  been  equally  startled,  and  had 
seized  their  muskets,  looking  in  every  direction  for  the 
approach  of  the  animal ;  but  the  convulsions  of  laughter 
which  proceeded  from  the  party  soon  told  them  that  there 
was  nothing  to  apprehend,  and  that  little  Omrah  had  been 
playing  his  tricks.  Big  Adam  rose  up,  looking  very 
foolish ;  he  had  just  before  been  telling  his  companions 
how  many  elephants  he  had  killed,  and  had  been  expressing 
his  hopes  that  they  soon  should  have  an  elephant  hunt. 

"  Well,"  observed  Swinton,  after  the  laugh  was  over  ; 
"  it  proves  that  Adam  is  an  elephant-hunter,  and  knows 
what  to  do  in  time  of  danger." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Major  ;  "  and  it  also  proves  that 
our  opinion  of  him  was  just,  and  that  with  him  the  best 
part  of  valour  is  discretion." 

"  The  most  wonderful  escape  from  an  elephant  which 
we  have  on  record  here,"  observed  Swinton,  "  is  that  of 
Lieutenant  Moodie ;  did  you  ever  hear  of  it  ?  I  had  it 
from  his  own  lips." 

"  I  never  did,  at  all  events,"  said  Alexander ;  "  and 
if  the  Major  has,  he  will  listen  very  patiently,  to  oblige 
me. 

"  I  have  never  heard  the  precise  particulars,  and  shall 
therefore  be  as  glad  to  be  a  listener  as  Wilmot." 

"  Well,  then  I  will  begin.  Lieuteuant  Moodie  was  out 
elephant-hunting  with  a  party  of  officers  and  soldiers, 
when  one  day  he  was  told  that  a  large  troop  of  elephants 
was  close  at  hand,  and  that  several  of  the  men  were  out, 
and  in  pursuit  of  them.  Lieutenant  Moodie  immediately 
seized  his  gun,  and  went  off  in  the  direction  where  he 
heard  the  firing. 

"  He  had  forced  his  way  through  a  jungle,  and  had 
just  come  to  a  cleared  spot,  when  he  heard  some  of  his 


j 6  The  Mission 

people  calling  out,  in  English  and  Dutch,  '  Take  care, 
Mr  Moodie,  take  care.'  As  they  called  out,  he  heard  the 
crackling  of  branches  broken  by  the  elephants  as  they 
were  bursting  through  the  wood,  and  then  tremendous 
screams,  such  as  we  heard  this  night.  Immediately  after- 
wards, four  elephants  burst  out  from  the  jungle,  not 
two  hundred  yards  from  where  he  stood.  Being  alone 
on  the  open  ground,  he  knew  that  if  he  fired  and  did 
not  kill,  he  could  have  no  chance  ;  so  he  hastily  retreated, 
hoping  that  the  animals  would  not  see  him.  On  looking 
back,  however,  he  perceived,  to  his  dismay,  that  they 
were  all  in  chase  of  him,  and  rapidly  gaining  on  him  ; 
he  therefore  resolved  to  reserve  his  fire  till  the  last 
moment,  and,  turning  towards  some  precipitous  rocks, 
hoped  to  gain  them  before  the  elephants  could  come  up 
with  him.  But  he  was  still  at  least  fifty  paces  from  the 
rocks,  when  he  found  that  the  elephants  were  within 
half  that  distance  of  him, — one  very  large  animal,  and 
three  smaller, — all  in  a  row,  as  if  determined  that  he 
should  not  escape,  snorting  so  tremendously  that  he  was 
quite  stunned  with  the  noise." 

"That's  what  I  call  a  very  pretty  position,"  observed 
the  Major.  "  Go  on,  Swinton  j  the  affair  is  becoming  a 
little  nervous." 

"  As  his  only  chance,  Lieutenant  Moodie  turned  round, 
and  levelled  his  gun  at  the  largest  elephant ;  but  un- 
fortunately the  powder  was  damp,  and  the  gun  hung 
fire,  till  he  was  in  the  act  of  taking  it  from  his  shoulder, 
when  it  went  off,  and  the  ball  merely  grazed  the  side  of 
the  elephant's  head.  The  animal  halted  for  an  instant, 
and  then  made  a  furious  charge  upon  him.  He  fell; 
whether  struck  down  by  the  elephant's  trunk  he  cannot 
say.  The  elephant  then  thrust  at  him  as  he  lay,  with  his 
tusk  ;  fortunately  it  had  but  one,  and  more  fortunately 
it  missed  its  mark,  ploughing  up  the  ground  within  an 
inch  of  Mr  Moodie's  body. 

"The  animal  then  caught  him  up  with  its  trunk  by 
his  middle,  and  dashed  him  down  between  his  fore-feet 


The  Mission  yy 

to  tread  him  to  death.  Once  it  pressed  so  heavily  on  his 
chest,  that  all  his  bones  bent  under  the  weight,  but  some- 
how or  other,  whether  from  the  animal  being  in  a  state 
of  alarm,  it  never  contrived  to  have  its  whole  weight  upon 
him ;  for  Mr  Moodie  had  never  lost  his  recollection,  and 
kept  twisting  his  body  and  his  limbs,  so  as  to  prevent  it 
from  obtaining  a  direct  tread  upon  him.  Whilst  he  was 
in  this  state  of  distress,  another  officer  and  a  Hottentot 
hunter  came  up  to  his  assistance,  and  fired  several  shots 
at  the  animal,  which  was  severely  wounded,  and  the  other 
three  took  to  their  heels.  At  last  the  one  which  had 
possession  of  Mr  Moodie  turned  round,  and  giving  him 
a  cuff  with  its  fore-feet  followed  the  rest.  Mr  Moodie 
got  up,  picked  up  his  gun,  and  staggered  away  as  fast 
as  his  aching  bones  would  permit  him.  He  met  his 
brother,  who  had  just  been  informed  by  one  of  the 
Hottentots  who  had  seen  him  under  the  elephant,  that 
he  was  killed." 

"  Well,  that  was  an  escape,"  observed  Wilmot. 

"  What  made  it  more  remarkable  was,  that  he  had 
hardly  time  to  explain  to  his  brother  his  miraculous 
preservation,  before  he  witnessed  the  death  of  one  of 
the  hunters,  a  soldier,  who  had  attracted  the  notice  of  a 
large  male  elephant  which  had  been  driven  out  of  the 
jungle.  The  fierce  animal  gave  chase  to  him,  and 
caught  him  immediately  under  the  height  where  Mr 
Moodie  and  his  brother  were  standing,  carried  the  poor 
fellow  for  some  distance  on  his  trunk,  then  threw  him 
down,  and  stamping  upon  him  until  he  was  quite  dead, 
left  the  body  for  a  short  time.  The  elephant  then  re- 
turned, as  if  to  make  sure  of  its  destruction  ;  for  it  kneeled 
down  on  the  body,  and  kneaded  it  with  his  fore-legs  ; 
then,  rising,  it  seized  it  again  with  its  trunk,  carried  it 
to  the  edge  of  the  jungle,  and  hurled  it  into  the  bushes." 

"  Dreadful !  I  had  no  idea  that  there  was  such  danger 
in  an  elephant-hunt  j  yet  I  must  say,"  continued  Alexander, 
"  that,  although  it  may  appear  foolishness,  it  only  makes 
me  more  anxious  to  have  one." 


78  The  Mission 

"  Well,  as  we  advance,  you  will  have  no  want  of 
opportunity ;  but  it  will  be  better  to  get  the  Caffres  to 
join  us,  which  they  will,  with  great  delight." 

"  "Why,  they  have  no  weapons,  except  their  spears." 

"None;  but  they  will  attack  him  with  great  success, 
as  you  will  see ;  they  watch  their  opportunity  as  he 
passes,  get  behind,  and  drive  their  spears  into  his  body 
until  the  animal  is  exhausted  from  loss  of  blood,  and 
they  are  so  quick  that  the  elephant  seldom  is  able  to 
destroy  one  of  them.  They  consider  the  elephant  of  as 
high  rank  as  one  of  their  kings,  and  it  is  very  laughable 
to  hear  them,  as  they  wound  him,  beg  pardon  of  him, 
and  cry  out,  '  Great  man,  don't  be  angry ;  great  captain, 
don't  kill  us.' " 

"  But  how  is  it  that  they  can  approach  so  terrible  an 
animal  without  destruction  ? " 

"It  is  because  they  do  approach  quite  close  to  him. 
An  elephant  sees  but  badly,  except  straight  before  him, 
and  he  turns  with  difficulty.  The  Caffres  are  within 
three  feet  of  his  tail  or  flank  when  they  attack,  and  they 
attack  him  in  the  elephant-paths,  which  are  too  narrow 
for  the  animal  to  turn  without  difficulty ;  the  great  risk 
that  they  run  is  from  another  elephant  breaking  out  to 
the  assistance  of  the  one  attacked." 

"The  animals  do  assist  each  other,  then?" 

"  Yes  j  there  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  it  in  the 
affair  of  Lieutenant  Moodie.  I  mentioned  that  it  was  a 
large  male  elephant  which  killed  the  soldier  just  after 
Mr  Moodie's  escape.  Shortly  afterwards  a  shot  from 
one  of  the  hunters  broke  the  fore-leg  of  this  animal, 
and  prevented  him  from  running,  and  there  it  stood  to 
be  fired  at.  The  female  elephant,  which  was  in  the 
jungle,  witnessing  the  distress  of  its  mate,  regardless  of 
her  own  danger,  immediately  rushed  out  to  his  assistance, 
chasing  away  the  hunters,  and  walking  round  and  round 
her  mate,  constantly  returning  to  his  side,  and  caressing 
him.  When  the  male  attempted  to  walk,  she  had  the 
sagacity  to  place  her  flank  against  the  wounded  side,  so 


The  Mission  79 

as  to  support  him,  and  help  him  along.  At  last  the 
female  received  a  severe  wound,  and  staggered  into  the 
bush,  where  she  fell ;  and  the  male  was  soon  after  laid 
prostrate  by  the  side  of  the  poor  soldier  whom  he  had 
killed." 

"  There  is  something  very  touching  in  that  last  portion 
of  your  story,  Swinton,"  observed  Alexander;  "it  really 
makes  one  feel  a  sort  of  respect  for  such  intelligent  and 
reasoning  animals." 

"I  think  the  first  portion  of  the  story  ought  to  teach 
you  to  respect  them  also,"  said  the  Major.  "  Seriously, 
however,  I  quite  agree  with  you  j  their  sagacity,  as  my 
Indian  experience  has  taught  me,  is  wonderful ; — but  here 
comes  supper,  and  I  am  not  sorry  for  it." 

"Nor  I,"  replied  Alexander.  "To-morrow  we  shall 
be  at  the  missionary  station,  if  the  guides  are  correct. 
I  am  very  anxious  to  get  there,  I  must  say.  Does  not 
the  chief  of  the  Amakosa  tribe  live  close  to  the  Mission- 
house, — Hinza,  as  they  call  him  ? " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Swinton,  "  he  does,  and  we  must  have 
a  present  ready  for  him,  for  I  think  it  would  be  advisable 
to  ask  an  escort  of  his  warriors  to  go  with  us  after  we 
leave  the  Mission." 

"  Yes,  it  will  be  quite  as  well,"  replied  the  Major, 
"  and  then  we  shall  have  some  elephant-hunting  j  but 
Bremen  tells  me  that  there  are  plenty  of  hippopotami  in 
the  river  there,  close  to  the  Mission." 

"  Water-elephants,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  I  suppose  you 
will  not  leave  them  alone  ? " 

"  Certainly  not,  if  our  commander-in-chief  will  allow  us 
to  stop." 

"  I  think  your  commander-in-chief,"  replied  Wilmot, 
"  is  just  as  anxious  to  have  a  day's  sport  with  them  as  you 
are,  Major,  so  you  will  certainly  have  his  permission." 

"  I  think  we  ought  to  put  Omrah  on  a  horse.  He  is  a 
nice  light  weight  for  a  spare  horse,  if  required." 

"  Not  a  bad  idea,"  replied  Alexander.  "  What  a  tiger 
he  would  make  for  a  cab  in  the  park  !  " 


80  The  Mission 

"More  like  a  monkey,"  replied  the  Major:  "  but  it  is 
time  to  go  to  bed  ;  so,  good-night." 


Chapter  XI 

The  caravan  proceeded  on  the  following  morning,  and  by 
noon  they  arrived  at  the  mission  station  of  Butterworth, 
which  was  about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  from  the 
Colonial  boundaries.  This  station  had  only  been  settled 
about  three  years,  but  even  in  that  short  time  it  wore  an 
air  of  civilisation  strongly  contrasted  with  the  savage 
country  around  it.  The  Mission-house  was  little  better 
than  a  large  cottage,  it  is  true,  and  the  church  a  sort  of 
barn,  but  it  was  surrounded  by  neat  Caffre  huts  and 
gardens  full  of  produce. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  caravan,  Mr  S.,  the  missionary, 
came  out  to  meet  the  travellers,  and  to  welcome  them. 
He  had  been  informed  that  they  would  call  at  the  station, 
and  bring  some  articles  which  had  been  sent  for.  It 
hardly  need  be  said  that,  meeting  at  such  a  place,  and  in 
such  a  country,  the  parties  soon  became  on  intimate  terms. 
Mr  S.  offered  them  beds  and  accommodation  in  his  house, 
but  our  travellers  refused ;  they  were  well  satisfied  with 
their  own  ;  and  having  unyoked  their  oxen,  and  turned 
them  out  to  graze  with  those  belonging  to  the  station, 
they  accepted  the  missionary's  invitation  to  join  his  repast. 

Alexander  having  stated  the  object  of  his  expedition, 
requested  the  advice  of  Mr  S.  as  to  his  further  proceeding, 
and  asked  him  whether  it  would  not  be  advisable  to  see 
the  Caffre  king,  and  make  him  a  present.  This,  Mr  S. 
strongly  advised  them  to  do;  and  to  ask  for  a  party  of 
CafFres  to  accompany  the  caravan,  which  would  not  only 
insure  them  safety,  but  would  prove  in  many  respects 
very  useful.  All  that  would  be  necessary,  would  be  to 
find  them  in  food  and  to  promise  them  a  present,  if  they 
conducted  themselves  well.  "  You  are  aware,"  continued 
he,   "  that   Hinza's   domain   only  extends   as  far   as  the 


A 


The  Mission  81 

Bachee  or  St  John's  River,  and  you  will  have  to  proceed 
beyond  that ,  but  with  some  of  the  Caffre  warriors,  you 
will  have  no  difficulty,  as  the  tribes  further  will  not  only 
fear  your  strength,  but  also  the  anger  of  Hinza,  should 
they  commit  any  depredation.  But  things,  I  regret  to  say, 
do  not  look  very  peaceable  just  now." 

"  Indeed  !  what  is  the  quarrel,  and  with  whom  ? " 

"  Hinza  has  quarrelled  with  a  powerful  neighbouring 
chief  of  the  name  of  Voosani,  who  reigns  over  the 
Tambookie  tribes,  about  some  cattle,  which  are  the  grand 
cause  of  quarrels  in  these  countries,  and  both  parties 
are  preparing  for  war.  But  whether  it  will  take  place 
is  doubtful,  as  they  are  both  threatened  with  a  more 
powerful  enemy,  and  may  probably  be  compelled  to  unite, 
in  order  to  defend  themselves." 

"  And  who  may  that  be  ?  " 

"  Quetoo,  the  chief  of  the  Amaquabi,  is  in  arms  with  a 
large  force,  and  threatens  the  other  tribes  to  the  northward 
of  us ;  if  he  conquers  them,  he  will  certainly  come  down 
here.  He  was  formerly  one  of  Chaka's  generals,  and  is, 
like  him,  renowned  for  slaughter.  At  present  he  is  too 
far  to  the  northward  to  interfere  with  you,  but  I  should 
advise  you  to  lose  no  time  in  effecting  your  mission,  for 
should  he  advance,  you  will  be  compelled  to  retreat  imme- 
diately. I  had  better  send  to  Hinza  to-morrow  to  let  him 
know  that  strangers  have  come  and  wish  to  see  him,  that 
they  may  make  him  a  present.  That  notice  will  bring  him 
fast  enough  ;  not  but  that  he  well  knows  you  are  here,  and 
has  known  that  you  have  been  in  his  country  long  ago." 

"  It  will  be  as  well,  after  the  information  you  have  given 
us,"  said  Mr  Swinton. 

"  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  CafFres,  Mr  S.,  now  that 
you  have  resided  so  long  with  them  ?  " 

"  They  are,  for  heathens,  a  fine  nation, — bold,  frank, 
and,  if  anything  is  confided  to  them,  scrupulously  honest ; 
but  cattle-stealing  is  certainly  not  considered  a  crime  among 
them,  although  it  is  punished  as  one.  Speaking  as  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  I  should  say  they  are  the  most 
M  f 

A 

V 


82  The  Mission 

difficult  nation  to  have  anything  to  do  with  that  it  ever  has 
been  my  lot  to  visit.  They  have  no  religion  whatever ; 
they  have  no  idols ;  and  no  idea  of  the  existence  of  a  God. 
When  I  have  talked  to  them  about  God,  their  reply  is, 
*  Where  is  he  ?  show  him  to  me.'  " 
"  But  have  they  no  superstitions  ? " 
"They  believe  in  necromancy,  and  have  their  conjurors, 
who  do  much  harm,  and  are  our  chief  opponents,  as  we 
weaken  their  influence  and  consequently  their  profits.  If 
cattle  are  stolen,  they  are  referred  to.  If  a  chief  is  sick, 
they  are  sent  for  to  know  who  has  bewitched  him ;  they 
must  of  course  mention  some  innocent  person,  who  is 
sacrificed  immediately.  If  the  country  is  parched  from 
want  of  rain,  which  it  so  frequently  is,  then  the  conjurors 
are  in  great  demand  :  they  are  sent  for  to  produce  rain. 
If  after  all  their  pretended  mysteries,  the  rain  does  not  fall 
so  as  to  save  their  reputation,  they  give  some  plausible 
reason,  generally  ending,  however,  in  the  sacrifice  of  some 
innocent  individual ;  and  thus  they  go  on,  making  excuses 
and  excuses  until  the  rain  does  fall,  and  they  obtain  all  the 
credit  of  it.  I  need  hardly  say  that  these  people  are  our 
greatest  enemies." 

"  Are  you  satisfied  with  the  success  which  you  have 
had?" 

"  Yes,  I  am,  when  I  consider  the  difficulty  to  be  sur- 
mounted.    Nothing  but  the  Divine  assistance  could  have 
produced  such  effects  as  have  already  taken  place.     The 
chiefs  are  to  a  man  opposed  to  us." 
"Why.so?" 

"  Because  Christianity  strikes  at  the  root  of  their 
sensuality  ;  it  was  the  same  when  it  was  first  preached  by 
our  Divine  Master.  The  riches  of  a  Caffre  consist  not  only 
in  his  cattle,  but  in  the  number  of  his  wives,  who  are  all 
his  slaves.  To  tell  them  that  polygamy  is  unlawful  and 
wrong,  is  therefore  almost  as  much  as  to  tell  them  that  it 
is  not  right  to  hold  a  large  herd  of  cattle  ;  and  as  the  chiefs 
are  of  course  the  opulent  of  the  nation,  they  oppose  us. 
You  observe  in  CafFreland,  as  elsewhere,  it  is  '  hard  for  a 


The  Mission  83 

rich  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven.'  I  have 
asked  the  chiefs  why  they  will  not  come  to  church,  and 
their  reply  has  been,  '  The  great  word  is  calculated  to 
lessen  our  pleasures  and  diminish  the  number  of  our  wives  ; 
to  this  we  can  never  consent.' " 

"  But  still  you  say  you  have  made  some  progress." 

"  If  I  have,  let  it  be  ascribed  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to 
me  and  my  otherwise  useless  endeavours ;  it  must  be  his 
doing,  and  without  his  aid  and  assistance,  the  difficulties 
would  have  been  insurmountable.  It  is  for  me  only  to 
bear  in  mind  the  scriptural  injunction,  '  In  the  morning 
sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold  not  thy  hand, 
for  thou  knowest  not  whether  shall  prosper,  either  this  or 
that,  or  whether  they  both  shall  be  alike  good.'  " 

"  But  have  they  no  idea  whatever  of  a  Supreme  Being, 
either  bad  or  good  ?  have  they  no  idea,  as  some  of  the 
African  tribes  have,  of  the  devil  ?  " 

"  None  ;  and  in  their  language  they  have  no  word  to 
express  the  idea  of  the  Deity ;  they  swear  by  their  kings 
of  former  days  as  great  chiefs,  but  no  more.  Now  if  they 
had  any  religion  whatever,  you  might,  by  pointing  out  to 
them  the  falsity  and  absurdity  of  that  religion,  and  putting 
it  in  juxtaposition  with  revealed  Truth,  have  some  hold 
upon  their  minds  ;  but  have  not  even  that  advantage." 

"  But  cannot  you  make  an  impression  upon  their  minds 
by  referring  to  the  wonders  of  nature, — by  asking  them 
who  made  the  sun  and  stars  ?  Surely  they  might  be 
induced  to  reflect  by  such  a  method." 

"  I  have  tried  it  a  hundred  times,  and  they  have  laughed 
at  me  for  my  fables,  as  they  have  termed  them.  One  of 
the  chiefs  told  me  to  hold  my  tongue,  that  his  people 
might  not  think  me  mad.  The  Scriptures,  indeed,  teach 
us, — that  without  the  aid  of  direct  revelation,  men  are  also 
without  excuse,  if  they  fail  to  attain  to  a  certain  knowledge 
of  the  Deity, — '  even  his  eternal  power  and  Godhead,' — 
by  a  devout  contemplation  of  the  visible  world,  which 
with  all  its  wonders  is  spread  out  before  them  as  an  open 
volume.     But  beyond  this,  all  knowledge  of  the  origin  or 


84  The  Mission 

manner  of  creation  is  derived,  not  from  the  deductions  of 
human  reasoning,  but  from  the  Divine  testimony,  for  it  is 
expressly  said,  '  Through  faith,  we  understand  that  the 
worlds  were  made  by  the  word  of  God.' " 

"Nevertheless  you  must  admit  that,  among  the  civilised 
nations  of  Europe,  many  who  deny  revelation  and  treat  the 
Bible  as  a  fable,  acknowledge  that  the  world  must  have 
been  made  by  a  Supreme  Power." 

"  My  dear  sir,  many  affect  to  deny  the  truth  of  reve- 
lation out  of  pride  and  folly,  who  still,  in  their  consciences, 
cannot  but  believe  it.  Here,  there  being  no  belief  in  a 
Deity,  they  will  not  be  persuaded  that  the  world  was 
made  by  one.  Indeed,  we  have  much  to  contend  with, 
and  perhaps  one  of  the  greatest  difficulties  is  in  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Scriptures.  I  sit  down  with  an  interpreter 
who  cannot  read  a  single  word,  and  with  perhaps  a  most 
erroneous  and  imperfect  knowledge  of  Divine  things. 
We  open  the  sacred  volume,  and  it  is  first  translated  into 
barbarous  Dutch  to  the  CafFre  interpreter,  who  then  has 
to  tell  us  how  that  Dutch  is  to  be  put  into  the  CafFre 
language.  Now  you  may  imagine  what  mistakes  may 
arise.  I  have  found  out  lately  that  I  have  been  stating  the 
very  contrary  to  what  I  would  have  said.  With  this 
translation,  I  stand  up  to  read  a  portion  of  the  Word  of 
God,  for  my  interpreter  cannot  read,  and  hence  any  slight 
defect  or  change  in  a  syllable  may  give  altogether  a 
different  sense  from  what  I  desire  to  inculcate." 

"That  must  be  indeed  a  great  difficulty,  and  require  a 
long  residence  and  full  acquaintance  with  the  language  to 
overcome." 

"  And  even  then  not  overcome,  for  the  language  has  no 
words  to  express  abstract  ideas ;  but  the  Lord  works  after 
his  own  way,  and  at  his  own  season." 

"  You  do  not  then  despair  of  success  ?  " 

"  God  forbid ;  I  should  be  indeed  a  most  unworthy 
servant  of  our  Divine  Master,  if  I  so  far  distrusted  his 
power.  No ;  much  good  has  been  already  done,  as  you 
will  perceive  when  we  meet  to-morrow  to  perform  Divine 


The  Mission  85 

service;  but  there  is  much  more  to  do,  and  with  his 
blessing,  will  in  his  own  good  time  be  perfected ;  but  I 
have  duties  to  attend  to  which  call  me  away  foi  the 
present ;  I  shall  therefore  wish  you  good-night.  At  all 
events,  the  Mission  has  had  one  good  effect :  you  are 
perfectly  safe  from  Caffre  violence  and  Caffre  robbery. 
This  homage  is  paid  to  it  even  by  their  king  and 
chiefs." 

"I  will  say,  that  if  we  are  only  to  judge  by  the  little 
we  have  seen,  the  Mission  appears  to  have  done  good," 
observed  the  Major.  "  In  the  first  place,  we  are  no 
longer  persecuted,  as  we  have  been  during  our  journey, 
for  presents ;  and,  as  you  may  observe,  many  of  the 
CafFres  about  are  clothed  in  European  fashions,  and  those 
who  have  nothing  but  their  national  undress,  I  may  call  it, 
wear  it  as  decently  as  they  can." 

"  I  made  the  same  observation,"  said  Alexander  ;  "lam 
most  anxious  for  to-morrow,  as  I  wish  to  see  how  the 
CafFres  behave ;  and  really,  when  you  consider  all  the 
difficulties  which  Mr  S.  has  mentioned,  it  is  wonderful 
that  he  and  those  who  have  embraced  the  same  calling 
should  persevere  as  they  do." 

"My  dear  Wilmot,"  replied  Mr  Swinton,  "a  missionary, 
even  of  the  most  humble  class,  is  a  person  of  no  ordinary 
mind ;  he  does  not  rely  upon  himself  or  upon  his  own 
exertions,  he  relies  not  upon  others  or  upon  the  assistance 
of  this  world ;  if  he  did,  he  would,  as  you  say,  soon 
abandon  his  task  in  despair.  No ;  he  is  supported,  he  is 
encouraged,  he  is  pressed  on  by  faith — faith  in  him  who 
never  deserts  those  who  trust  and  believe  in  him  ;  he 
knows  that  if  it  is  his  pleasure,  the  task  will  be  easy,  but 
at  the  same  time,  that  it  must  be  at  his  own  good  time. 
Convinced  of  this,  supported  by  this,  encouraged  by  this, 
and  venturing  his  life  for  this,  he  toils  on,  in  full  assur- 
ance that  if  he  fails,  another  is  to  succeed, — that  if  he 
becomes  a  martyr,  his  blood  will  moisten  the  arid  soil  from 
which  the  future  seed  will  spring.  A  missionary  may  be 
low  in  birth,  low  in  education,  as  many  are ;  but  he  must 


86  The  Mission 

be  a  man  of  exalted  mind, — what  in  any  other  pursuit  we 
might  term  an  enthusiast ;  and  in  this  spreading  of  the 
Divine  word,  he  merits  respect  for  his  fervour,  his 
courage,  and  self-devotion ;  his  willingness,  if  the  Lord 
should  so  think  fit,  to  accept  the  crown  of  martyr- 
dom." 

"  You  are  right,  Swinton  ;  nothing  but  what  you  have 
described  could  impel  a  man  to  pass  a  life  of  privation  and 
danger  among  a  savage  race — leaving  all,  and  following 
his  Master  in  the  true  apostolic  sense.  Well,  they  will 
have  their  reward." 

"  Yes,  in  heaven,  "Wilmot ;  not  on  earth,"  replied 
Swinton. 

The  next  day,  being  the  Sabbath,  with  the  assistance  of 
Mahommed,  who  was  valet  as  well  as  cook  to  the  whole 
party,  they  divested  themselves  of  their  beards,  which  had 
not  been  touched  for  many  days,  and  dressed  themselves 
in  more  suitable  apparel  than  their  usual  hunting  costume, 
—a  respect  paid  to  the  Sabbath  by  even  the  most  worldly 
and  most  indifferent  on  religious  points.  The  bell  of  the 
Mission  Church  was  tolled,  and  the  natives  were  seen 
coming  from  all  directions.  Our  party  went  in,  and  found 
Mr  S.  already  there,  and  that  seats  had  been  provided  for 
them.  The  numbers  of  natives  who  were  assembled  in 
the  church  were  about  200,  but  many  more  were  at  the 
windows,  and  sitting  by  the  open  door.  Many  of  them 
were  clothed  in  some  sort  of  European  apparel ;  those 
who  were  not,  drew  their  krosses  close  round  them,  so  as 
to  appear  more  covered.  A  hymn  in  the  Caffre  language 
was  first  sung,  and  then  prayers,  after  which  the  Litany 
and  responses  •,  the  Commandments  were  repeated  in  the 
same  language.  Mr  S.  then  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible, 
and  explained  it  to  the  assembly.  Profound  silence  and 
quiet  attention  generally  prevailed,  although  in  some  few 
instances  there  was  mockery  from  those  outside.  Mr  S. 
gave  the  blessing,  and  the  service  was  ended. 

"  You  have  already  done  much,"  observed  Mr  Swinton. 
"  I  could  hardly  have  believed  that  a  concourse  of  savages 


The  Mission  S? 

could  have  been  so  attentive,  and  have  behaved  with  such 
decorum." 

"  It  certainly  is  the  most  difficult  point  gained, — to 
command  their  attention,  I  mean,"  replied  Mr  S. ;  "after 
that,  time  and  patience,  with  the  assistance  of  God,  will 
effect  the  rest." 

"Do  you  think  that  there  are  many  who,  if  I  may  use 
the  term,  feel  their  religion  ?  " 

"  Yes,  many ;  and  prove  it  by  travelling  about  and 
sowing  the  seed ;  there  are  many  who  not  only  are 
qualified  so  to  do,  but  are  incessantly  labouring  to  bring 
their  countrymen  to  God." 

"  That  must  be  very  satisfactory  to  you." 

"  It  is ;  but  what  am  I,  and  the  few  who  labour  with 
me,  to  the  thousands  and  thousands  who  are  here  in  dark- 
ness, and  require  our  aid !  There  are  now  but  three 
Missions  in  all  Caffreland ;  and  there  is  full  employment 
for  two  hundred  if  they  could  be  established.  But  you 
must  excuse  me,  I  have  to  catechise  the  children,  who  are 
my  most  promising  pupils.  We  will  meet  again  in  the 
evening,  for  I  have  to  preach  at  a  neighbouring  village. 
Strange  to  say,  many  who  doubt  and  waver  will  listen 
to  me  there ;  but  they  appear  to  think  that  there  is  some 
witchcraft  in  the  Mission  Church,  or  else  are  afraid  to 
acknowledge  to  their  companions  that  they  have  been 
inside  of  it." 

The  missionary  then  left  them,  and  Alexander  ob- 
served— 

"  I  don't  know  how  you  feel,  but  I  assure  you  it  has 
been  a  great  pleasure  to  me  to  have  found  myself  in  this 
humble  church,  and  hearing  Divine  service  in  this  wild 
country." 

Both  Swinton  and  Major  Henderson  expressed  the  same 
opinion. 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  being  laughed  at,"  continued 
Alexander,  "  when  I  tell  you  that  I  think  it  most  im- 
portant, wherever  we  may  be  during  our  travels,  to  keep 
the  Sabbath  holy,  by  rest  and  reading  the  service." 


88  The  Mission 

"  With  pleasure,  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  and  I  thank 
you  for  the  proposal,"  replied  Swinton. 

"  And  I  am  equally  pleased  that  you  have  proposed  it, 
Wilmot,"  said  Major  Henderson;  "even  we  may  be  of 
service  to  the  good  cause  if,  as  we  pass  through  the  land, 
the  natives  perceive  that  we  respect  the  Sabbath,  as  the 
missionary  has  requested  them  to  do.  We  are  white  men, 
and  considered  by  them  as  superior  •,  our  example,  there- 
fore, may  do  good." 

The  evening  was  passed  away  very  agreeably  with  Mr 
S.,  who  was  inexhaustible  in  his  anecdotes  of  the  Caffres. 
He  informed  them  that  Hinza  intended  to  call  the  next 
morning  to  receive  his  presents,  and  that  he  would  be 
interpreter  for  them  if  they  wished  it. 

Alexander,  having  thanked  the  missionary,  said,  "  I 
think  you  mentioned,  sir,  that  some  of  your  brother 
missionaries  have  their  wives  with  them.  Since  you  have 
told  us  so  much  of  the  precarious  tenure  by  which  you 
hold  your  ground  here,  and  I  may  add  your  lives,  I  think 
that  the  wives  of  the  missionaries  must  have  even  more 
to  encounter  than  their  husbands." 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  replied  the  missionary  ;  "  there  is 
no  situation  so  trying,  so  perilous,  and  I  may  say,  so  weary 
to  the  mind  and  body,  as  that  of  a  female  missionary.  She 
has  to  encounter  the  same  perils  and  the  same  hardships 
as  her  husband,  without  having  the  strength  of  our  sex  to 
support  them,  and,  what  is  more  painful  than  all,  she  is 
often  left  alone  at  the  Mission-house,  while  her  husband, 
who  has  left  her,  is  proceeding  on  his  duty,  at  the  hourly 
peril  of  his  life.  There  she  is  alone,  and  compelled  to 
listen  to  all  the  reports  and  falsehoods  which  are  circulated  : 
at  one  moment  she  is  told  that  her  husband  has  been 
murdered ;  at  another,  that  he  is  still  alive.  She  has 
no  means  of  hearing  from  him,  as  there  is  no  com- 
munication through  the  country  ;  thus  is  she  left  in  this 
horrible  state  of  suspense  and  anxiety,  perhaps  for  many 
weeks.  I  have  a  letter  from  a  brother  missionary,  which 
is    in   my    writing-desk,  wherein    the    case    in    point    is 


The  Mission  89 

well  portrayed  ;  I  will  get  it,  and  read  that  portion  to 
you."  Mr  S.  went  to  the  other  end  of  the  room, 
and  came  back  with  a  letter,  from  which  he  read  as 
follows  : — 

"  Having  been  detained  among  those  distant  tribes  for 
nearly  two  months,  report  upon  report  had  been  circulated 
that  the  interpreters  and  guide,  as  well  as  myself,  had  all 
been  murdered.  On  my  arrival  within  forty  miles  of  the 
station,  I  was  informed  that  all  doubt  upon  the  subject  had 
been  removed  by  a  party  of  natives  who  had  passed  the 
Mission  station,  and  who  pretended  an  acquaintance  with 
all  the  particulars  of  the  massacre.  We  had  been  travelling 
the  whole  day,  and  night  had  come  on  j  I  was  most  anxious 
to  proceed,  that  I  might  relieve  the  mind  of  my  dear  wife, 
but  the  earnest  remonstrances  of  my  little  party,  who 
represented  it  as  certain  death  to  all  of  us  to  cross  the 
plains,  which  were  infested  with  lions  and  other  savage 
beasts  who  were  prowling  in  every  direction,  at  length 
induced  me  to  wait  till  the  next  day.  But  scarcely  had 
day  begun  to  dawn,  when  I  sallied  forth,  without  either 
arms  or  guide,  except  a  pocket  compass,  leaving  my  fellow- 
travellers  to  bring  on  the  wagon  as  soon  as  they  should 
arouse  from  their  slumbers.  This  impatience  had,  however, 
well-nigh  cost  me  my  life,  for  having  to  wade  through 
many  miles  of  deep  sand  with  a  vertical  sun  over  my  head, 
I  had  not  accomplished  half  the  journey  before  my  strength 
began  to  fail,  and  an  indescribable  thirst  was  induced. 
Nevertheless,  I  reached  the  Mission  in  safety,  and  with  truly 
grateful  feelings  to  the  great  Preserver  of  Men.  A  few 
minutes  prior  to  my  arrival,  the  wife  of  one  of  my  brother 
missionaries,  little  imagining  that  I  was  at  hand  and  alive, 
had  entered  our  dwelling,  to  apprize  my  wife  of  the  latest 
intelligence,  confirming  all  that  had  been  said  before  re- 
specting my  fate,  and  to  comfort  her  under  the  distressing 
dispensation.  At  this  affecting  crisis,  while  both  were 
standing  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  the  one  relating,  the 
other  weeping,  I  opened  the  door,  bathed  in  perspiration, 
covered  with  dust,  and  in  a  state  of  complete  exhaustion. 


90  The  Mission 

'  Oh,  dear  ! '  cried  our  friend  ;  c  is  it  he — or  is  it  his 
spirit  ? '  I  must,  my  dear  sir,  leave  to  your  imagination 
the  scene  which  followed." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Mr  S.,  folding  up  the  letter  ;  "  a  mis- 
sionary's wife,  who  follows  him  into  such  scenes  and  such 
perils  and  privations,  does,  indeed,  '  cleave  to  her 
husband.'" 

"Indeed  she  does,"  replied  Mr  Swinton;  "  but  we  will 
tax  you  no  longer,  my  dear  sir.     Good-night." 


Chapter  XII 

On  the  following  day,  a  little  before  noon,  loud  shouts 
and  men  dancing  and  calling  out  the  titles  of  the  king 
of  the  CafFres  announced  his  approach.  These  men  were 
a  sort  of  heralds,  who  invariably  preceded  him  on  a  visit 
of  ceremony.  A  band  of  warriors,  armed  with  their 
assaguays  and  shields,  next  made  their  appearance,  and 
then  Hinza,  accompanied  by  fifty  of  his  chief  councillors  : 
with  the  exception  of  their  long  krosses  of  beast-skins 
thrown  over  their  shoulders,  they  were  all  naked,  and 
each  daubed  with  grease  and  red  ochre.  As  soon  as  they 
arrived  in  front  of  the  Mission-house,  they  sat  down  in  a 
circle  on  each  side  of  the  Caffre  king,  who  was  treated 
with  marked  respect  by  all,  and  by  the  common  people  in 
particular  who  assembled  on  his  presence.  Everyone  who 
happened  to  pass  by  gave  what  was  termed  a  '  salute '  of 
honour  to  the  king,  who  did  not  appear  to  consider  that  it 
required  any  acknowledgment  on  his  part. 

Our  travellers,  accompanied  by  the  missionary,  advanced 
unto  the  circle,  and  saluted  his  majesty.  Mr  S.  then 
explained  the  object  of  their  journey,  and  their  wish  that  a 
small  party  of  the  king's  warriors  should  accompany  them 
on  their  expedition.  As  soon  as  the  speech  was  ended, 
a  few  pounds  of  coloured  beads,  a  roll  of  tobacco,  two 
pounds  of  snuff,  and  some  yards  of  scarlet  cloth  were  laid 
before  his  majesty  as  a  present.     Hinza  nodded  his  head 


The  Mission  91 

with  approval  when  the  articles  were  spread  before  him, 
and  then  turned  to  his  councillors,  with  whom  he  whis- 
pered some  time,  and  then  he  replied,  "  that  the  strange 
white  men  should  pass  through  his  country  without  fear, 
that  his  warriors  should  accompany  them  as  far  as  they 
wished  to  go  ;  but,"  he  added,  "  do  the  strangers  know 
that  there  is  disorder  in  the  country  beyond  ? " 

Mr  S.  replied  that  they  did,  and  were  anxious  to 
go,  and  return  as  soon  as  possible  on  that  account. 

Hinza  replied,  "  It  is  well ;  if  there  is  danger,  my 
warriors  will  let  them  know — if  it  is  necessary,  they  will 
fight  for  them — if  the  enemy  is  too  strong,  the  white  men 
must  return." 

Hinza  then  ordered  some  of  his  councillors  to  take 
charge  of  the  presents,  and  inquired  of  Mr  S.  how  many 
warriors  they  wished  to  have,  and  when  they  wished  to  go. 

The  reply  was,  that  fifty  warriors  would  be  sufficient, 
and  that  they  wished  to  depart  on  the  following  morning. 
"  It  is  well,"  replied  Hinza  ;  "  fifty  warriors  are  enough, 
for  my  men  eat  a  great  deal — they  shall  be  ready." 

The  council  then  broke  up,  and  the  king,  having  shaken 
hands  with  our  travellers,  departed  with  his  train  :  towards 
the  evening,  an  old  cow  was  sent  to  them  as  a  present 
from  his  majesty.  The  Hottentots  soon  cut  it  up,  and 
devoured  it.  Everything  was  now  arranged  for  their 
immediate  departure. 

The  next  morning,  at  break  of  day,  the  band  of  Caffre 
warriors  were  all  in  readiness,  each  with  his  shield  and 
three  assaguays  in  his  hand.  They  were  all  fine,  tall 
young  men,  from  twenty  to  thirty  years  of  age.  Alexander 
desired  Mr  S.  to  tell  them,  that  if  they  behaved  well 
and  were  faithful,  they  should  every  one  receive  a  present 
when  they  were  dismissed ;  a  notification  which  appeared 
to  give  general  satisfaction.  The  oxen  had  already  been 
yoked,  and  taking  leave  of  the  worthy  missionary,  our 
travellers  mounted  their  horses,  and  resumed  their 
journey.  For  the  whole  day  they  proceeded  along  the 
banks  of  the  Kae  River,  which  ran  its  course  through 


92  The  Mission 

alternate  glens  and  hills  clothed  with  fine  timber,  and  as 
they  were  on  an  eminence,  looking  down  upon  the  river, 
the  head  CafFre  warrior,  who  had,  with  the  others,  hang 
up  his  shield  at  the  side  of  the  wagon,  and  now  walked 
by  our  travellers  with  his  assaguay  in  his  hand,  pointed 
out  to  them,  as  the  sun  was  setting  behind  a  hill,  two  or 
three  large  black  masses  on  the  further  bank  of  the  river. 
"  What  are  they,  and  what  does  he  say  ? " 
"  Sea-cows,"  replied  the  interpreter. 
"Hippopotami!     We  must  have  a  shot  at  them,  Wilmot," 
cried  the  Major. 

"  To  be  sure ;  tell  them  we  will  stop  and  kill  one  if  we 
can,"  said  Wilmot  to  the  interpreter. 

"We  shall  want  one  to  feed  our  army,"  said  Swinton, 
laughing,  "  or  our  sheep  will  soon  be  devoured." 

The  Caffres  were  all  immediately  in  motion,  running 
down  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant  j  they  swam  across,  and  there  remained  waiting 
till  our  travellers  should  give  the  word. 

The  animals  lay  on  a  muddy  bank,  at  a  turn  of  the  river, 
like  so  many  swine  asleep,  some  of  them  out,  and  some 
partly  in  and  partly  out  of  the  water.  As  they  were 
huddled  together,  they  looked  more  like  masses  of  black 
rock  than  anything  else.  Two  lay  considerably  apart  from 
the  others,  and  it  was  towards  these  two  that  the  Caffres, 
who  had  crossed  the  river,  crept  until  they  were  in  the 
high  reeds,  but  a  few  yards  from  them.  Henderson  and 
Wilmot,  with  some  of  the  Hottentots,  descended  the  ravine 
on  their  side  of  the  river,  opposite  to  where  the  animals 
lay,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  on  the  bank,  being  then 
within  one  hundred  yards  of  them,  they  levelled  and  fired. 
At  the  report,  all  the  animals  started  up  from  their  beds 
as  if  astonished  at  the  noise,  which  they  had  not  been 
accustomed  to.  Three  or  four  instantly  plunged  into  the 
deep  water,  but  the  others,  apparently  half  asleep,  stood 
for  a  few  seconds  as  if  not  knowing  what  course  to  take : 
two  of  them  were  evidently  wounded,  as  they  rushed  into 
the  water ;  for  they  did  not  remain  below,  but  rose  to  the 


The  Mission 


93 


surface  immediately,  as  if  in  great  agony.  They  appeared 
anxious  to  get  out  of  the  water  altogether,  and  tried  so  to 
do,  but  fearing  the  people  on  the  river's  banks,  they  darted 
in  again.  In  the  meantime,  at  the  first  report  of  the  guns, 
the  two  which  lay  apart  from  the  others  with  their  heads 
towards  the  river,  as  soon  as  they  rose  on  their  legs,  were 
pierced  with  several  assaguays  by  the  concealed  Caffres, 
and  plunged  into  the  water  with  the  spears  remaining  in 
their  bodies.  These  also  rose,  and  floundered  like  the 
others  ;  and  as  their  heads  appeared  above,  they  were  met 
with  the  unerring  rifle  of  the  Major  and  whole  volleys 
from  Wilmot  and  the  Hottentots,  till,  exhausted  from  loss 
of  blood,  they  floated  dead  upon  the  surface. 

The  Caffres  waited  till  the  bodies  had  been  borne  some 
hundred  yards  down  the  stream,  that  they  might  not  be 
attacked  when  in  the  water  by  the  remainder  of  the  herd, 
and  then  swam  off,  and  pushed  the  bodies  on  shore.  This 
was  a  very  seasonable  supply  of  provisions  for  so  large  a 
band  of  people,  but  those  who  belonged  to  the  caravan 
were  not  the  only  parties  who  benefited :  all  the  Caffres  of 
the  surrounding  hamlets  hastened  to  the  river,  and  carried  off 
large  quantities  of  the  flesh  of  the  animals ;  there  was, 
however,  more  than  enough  for  all,  and  for  the  wolves  and 
hyaenas  after  they  had  taken  what  they  chose.  It  was  so 
late  before  the  animals  were  cut  up,  that  they  decided  upon 
remaining  where  they  were  that  night,  for  now  that  they 
had  the  Caffre  warriors  with  them,  they  had  no  fear  as  to 
losing  their  oxen,  the  king  having  stated  that  his  men 
should  be  responsible  for  them. 

Large  fires  were  lighted,  and  the  Caffres  and  Hotten- 
tots, all  mingled  together,  were  busy  roasting,  boiling, 
and  frying  the  flesh  of  the  hippopotamus,  and  eating  it 
as  fast  as  it  was  cooked,  so  that  they  were  completely 
gorged  before  they  lay  down  to  sleep  j  Wilmot  had 
also  given  them  a  ration  of  tobacco  each,  which  had 
added  considerably  to  the  delight  of  the  feast. 

"  It  is  not  bad  eating  by  any  means,"  said  the  Major,  as 
they  were  at  supper. 


94  The  Mission 

"No,  it  is  something  like  old  veal,"  replied  Swinton. 
"Now,  what  is  Omrah  about  ?  He  is  after  some  mischief 
by  the  way  he  creeps  along." 

"  A  monkey  is  a  fool  to  that  boy,"  observed  the  Major, 
"and  he  appears  to  know  how  to  imitate  every  animal  he 
has  ever  heard." 

"  Did  you  hear  the  dance  he  led  some  of  the  Hottentots 
on  Sunday  evening,  when  we  were  at  the  Mission  ? " 

"  No,  what  was  that  ? " 

"  Bremen  told  me  of  it ;  I  thought  he  would  have  died 
with  laughing.  You  are  aware  that  there  is  a  species  of 
bird  here  which  they  call  the  honey  bird,  by  naturalists 
the  cuculus  indicator ;  do  you  not  remember  I  showed  you 
a  specimen  which  I  was  preserving  ? " 

"  You  have  showed  us  so  many  specimens,  that  I  really 
forget." 

"  Well,  I  should  have  given  you  at  the  same  time  the 
natural  history  of  the  bird.  It  is  very  partial  to  honey, 
upon  which  it  lives  as  much  as  it  can ;  but  as  the  bees 
make  their  hives  in  the  trunks  of  old  decayed  trees,  and 
the  hole  they  enter  by  is  very  small,  the  bird  cannot 
obtain  it  without  assistance.  Its  instinct  induces  it  to  call  in 
the  aid  of  man,  which  it  does  by  a  peculiar  note,  like  cher- 
cher-cher,  by  which  it  gives  notice  that  it  has  found  out  a 
bee-hive.  The  natives  of  Africa  well  know  this,  and  as  soon 
as  the  bird  flies  close  to  them,  giving  out  this  sound,  they 
follow  it ;  the  bird  leads  them  on,  perching  every  now 
and  then,  to  enable  them  to  keep  up  with  him,  until  it 
arrives  at  the  tree,  over  which  it  flutters  without  making 
any  more  noise." 

"  How  very  curious  !  " 

"  Little  Bushman  knows  this  as  well  as  the  Hottentots, 
and  hearing  that  they  were  going  out  in  search  of  honey, 
he  went  before  them  into  the  wood  concealing  himself, 
and  imitating  the  note  of  the  bird  so  exactly,  that  the 
Hottentots  went  on  following  it  for  several  miles,  won- 
dering how  it  was  that  the  bird  should  lead  them  such  a 
distance,  but   unwilling  to  give  up  the  pursuit.      About 


The  Mission  95 

sunset,  he  had  brought  them  back  to  the  very  edge  of  the 
wood  from  whence  they  had  started,  when  he  showed 
himself  about  one  hundred  yards  ahead  of  them,  dancing, 
capering,  and  tumbling  so  like  Begum,  that  they  thought 
it  was  her  before  them,  and  not  him ;  he  gained  the 
caravan  again  without  their  knowing  who  played  them  the 
trick  ;  but  he  told  Swanevelt,  who  speaks  his  language, 
and  Swanevelt  told  Bremen." 

"  Capital  !  "  said  the  Major  ;  "  well,  he  is  after  some 
trick  now,  depend  upon  it." 

"  He  has  a  great  talent  for  drawing,"  observed  Alex- 
ander. 

"  A  very  great  one  ;  I  have  given  him  a  pencil  and 
occasionally  a  piece  of  paper,  and  he  draws  all  the  birds, 
so  that  I  can  recognise  them  ;  but  you  must  know  that  all 
the  Bushmen  have  that  talent,  and  that  their  caves  are  full 
of  the  sketches  of  all  sorts  of  animals,  remarkably 
characteristic.  The  organ  of  imitation  is  very  strongly 
developed  in  the  Bushmen,  which  accounts  for  their 
talents  as  draftsmen,  and  Omrah's  remarkable  imitative 
powers." 

"Do  you  then  believe  in  phrenology,  Swinton?"  said 
Alexander. 

"  I  neither  believe  nor  disbelieve  in  that,  and  many 
more  modern  discoveries  of  the  same  kind ;  I  do  not 
think  it  right  to  reject  them  or  to  give  blind  credence. 
Not  a  day  passes  but  some  discovery  excites  our  wonder 
and  admiration,  and  points  out  to  us  how  little  we  do 
know.  The  great  fault  is,  that  when  people  have  made  a 
discovery  to  a  certain  extent,  they  build  upon  it,  as  if  all 
their  premises  were  correct ;  whereas,  they  have,  in  fact, 
only  obtained  a  mere  glimmering  to  light  them  to  a  path 
which  may  some  future  day  lead  to  knowledge,  That  the 
general  principles  of  phrenology  are  correct  may  be  fairly 
assumed,  from  the  examination  of  the  skulls  of  men  and 
animals  and  of  different  men ;  but  I  give  no  credence  to 
all  the  divisions  and  sub-divisions  which  have,  in  my 
opinion,  been  most  presumptuously  marked  out  by  those 


g6  The  Mission 

who  profess,  and  of  course  fully  believe,  the  full  extent  of 
these  supposed  discoveries." 

"  And  Mesmerism  ?  "  said  Alexander. 

"  I  make  the  same  reply ;  there  is  something  in  it,  that  is 
certain,  but  nothing  yet  sufficiently  known  to  warrant  any 
specific  conclusions  to  be  drawn." 

"There  is  a  great  deal  of  humbug  in  it,"  said  the 
Major. 

"  So  there  is  in  all  sciences ;  when  truth  fails  them  and 
they  are  at  fault,  they  fill  up  the  hiatus  with  supposition ; 
which  is,  as  you  term  it,  humbug." 

"  Well,  I  vote  that  we  return  to  our  wagons  •,  every- 
body appears  fast  asleep  except  us  three." 

Such  was  not,  however,  the  case,  for  they  had  not  been 
half  an  hour  on  their  mattresses,  before  they  were  awak- 
ened by  loud  cries  of  "help,"  which  made  them  seize 
their  guns  and  jump  out  of  the  wagons  without  waiting 
for  their  clothes. 

The  Hottentots  and  Caffres  were  so  full  of  hippopotamus 
flesh,  that  the  noise  did  not  awake  but  a  small  portion  of 
them,  and  these  only  turned  round  and  stared  about  with- 
out getting  up,  with  the  exception  of  Bremen,  who  was  on 
his  feet  and,  with  his  gun  in  his  hand,  running  in  the 
direction  of  the  cries.  He  was  followed  by  our  travellers, 
and  they  soon  came  up  with  the  object  of  their  search, 
which  proved  to  be  no  other  than  Big  Adam,  the  Hot- 
tentot ;  and  as  soon  as  they  perceived  his  condition,  which 
they  could  do  by  the  light  of  the  fires  still  burning,  they 
all  burst  out  laughing  so  excessively,  that  they  could  not 
help  him. 

That  it  was  the  work  of  little  Omrah,  there  was  no 
doubt,  for  Big  Adam  had  not  forgotten  the  former  trick 
the  boy  had  played  him,  and  had  more  than  once,  when  he 
caught  the  boy,  given  him  a  good  cuffing.  Big  Adam  was 
on  the  ground,  dragged  away  by  two  of  the  largest  dogs  ; 
Omrah  had  taken  the  bones  he  could  find  with  most  flesh 
upon  them  belonging  to  the  hippopotamus,  and  had  tied 
them  with  leathern  thongs  to  the  great  toes  of  Big  Adam 


The  Mission  97 

as  he  lay  snoring  after  his  unusual  repast.  He  had  then 
waited  till  all  were  asleep,  and  had  let  loose  the  two 
largest  dogs,  which  were  always  tied  with  the  others 
under  the  wagons,  and  not  over-fed,  to  make  them  more 
watchful. 

The  dogs  had  prowled  about  for  food,  and  had  fallen  in 
with  these  large  bones,  which  they  immediately  seized,  and 
were  dragging  away,  that  they  might  make  their  repast 
without  interruption ;  but  in  attempting  to  drag  away  the 
bones,  they  had  dragged  Big  Adam  some  yards  by  his  great 
toes,  and  the  pain  and  fright,  for  the  Hottentot  thought 
they  were  hyaenas  or  wolves,  had  caused  him  thus  to  scream 
for  help.  Bremen  divided  the  thongs  with  his  knife,  and 
the  dogs  ran  off  growling  with  the  bones,  and  Adam  stood 
again  upon  his  feet,  still  so  much  terrified  as  not  to  be  able 
to  comprehend  the  trick  which  had  been  played  him.  Our 
travellers  having  indulged  their  mirth,  retired  once  more 
to  their  resting-places.  The  Major  found  Omrah  and 
Begum  both  in  their  corners  of  the  wagon,  the  former 
pretending  to  be  fast  asleep,  while  the  latter  was  chattering 
and  swearing  at  the  unusual  disturbance. 

At  daylight  the  next  morning,  they  resumed  their 
journey.  Big  Adam  walked  rather  stiff,  and  looked  very 
sulky.  Omrah  had  perched  himself  on  a  tilt  of  the  baggage- 
wagon  with  Begum,  and  was  quite  out  of  the  Hottentot's 
reach  ;  for  Bremen  had  told  the  others  what  had  happened, 
and  there  had  been  a  general  laugh  against  Big  Adam,  who 
vowed  vengeance  against  little  Omrah.  The  country  was 
now  very  beautiful  and  fertile,  and  the  Caffre  hamlets  were 
to  be  seen  in  all  directions.  Except  visits  from  the  Caffres, 
who  behaved  with  great  decorum  when  they  perceived  that 
the  caravan  was  escorted  by  the  king's  warriors,  and  who 
supplied  them  nearly  every  day  with  a  bullock  for  the  use 
of  the  people,  no  adventure  occurred  for  four  days, 
when  they  crossed  the  Bashee  of  St  John's  River,  to 
which  the  territories  of  Hinza  extended  ;  but  although 
the  tribes  beyond  did  not  acknowledge  his  authority, 
they  respected  the  large  force  of  the  caravan,  and  were 
m  G 


98  The  Mission 

much  pleased  at  receiving  small  presents  of  tobacco  and 
snuff. 

Milk,  in  baskets,  was  constantly  brought  in  by  the 
women,  for  the  Caffres  weave  baskets  of  so  close  a  texture, 
that  they  hold  any  liquid,  and  are  the  only  utensil  used  for 
that  purpose.  At  the  Bashee  river,  after  they  had  passed 
the  ford,  they  remained  one  day  to  hunt  the  hippopotami, 
and  were  successful ;  only  Major  Henderson,  who  was  not 
content  to  hunt  during  the  day,  but  went  out  at  night,  had 
a  narrow  escape.  He  was  in  one  of  the  paths,  and  had 
wounded  a  female,  and  was  standing,  watching  the  rising 
to  the  surface  of  the  wounded  animal,  for  it  was  bright 
moonlight,  when  the  male,  which  happened  to  be  feeding 
on  the  bank  above,  hearing  the  cry  of  the  female,  rushed 
right  down  the  path  upon  the  Major  5  fortunately  for  him, 
the  huge  carcase  of  the  animal  gave  it  such  an  ungovernable 
degree  of  velocity,  as  to  prevent  it  from  turning  to  the 
right  hand  or  left.  It  passed  within  a  yard  of  the  Major, 
sweeping  the  bushes  and  underwood,  so  as  to  throw  him 
down  as  it  passed.  The  Major  got  up  again,  it  may  be  truly 
said,  more  frightened  than  hurt ;  but  at  all  events,  he  had 
had  enough  of  hippopotamus-hunting  for  that  night,  for  he 
recovered  his  gun,  and  walked  back  to  the  wagon,  thank- 
ing Heaven  for  his  providential  escape. 

The  next  morning,  Swanevelt  and  Bremen  went  down 
the  banks  of  the  river,  and  discovered  the  body  of  the 
hippopotamus,  which  they  dragged  on  shore,  and,  return- 
ing to  the  wagons,  sent  the  Caffres  to  cut  it  up  ;  but  before 
the  Caffres  belonging  to  the  caravan  could  arrive  there, 
they  found  that  the  work  had  been  done  for  them  by  the 
natives,  and  that  nothing  was  left  but  the  bones  of  the 
animal  5  but  this  is  always  considered  fair  in  the  Caffre- 
land ;  every  one  helps  himself  when  an  elephant  or  other 
large  animal  is  killed,  although  he  may  have  had  no  hand 
in  its  destruction.  The  number  of  elephant  paths  now 
showed  them  that  they  were  surrounded  by  these  animals, 
and  the  Caffres  of  the  country  said  that  there  were  large 
herds  close  to  them. 


The  Mission  99 

It  was  therefore  proposed  by  the  Major,  that  they  should 
have  a  grand  elephant  hunt,  at  which  all  the  Caffres  of 
their  own  party  and  the  natives  of  the  country  should 
assist.  This  proposal  was  joyfully  received  by  all, 
especially  the  natives,  who  were  delighted  at  such  an 
opportunity  of  having  the  assistance  of  the  white  men's 
guns ;  and  the  next  day  was  appointed  for  the  sport.  By 
the  advice  of  the  natives,  the  caravan  proceeded  some 
miles  down  to  the  eastward,  to  the  borders  of  a  very 
thick  forest,  where  they  stated  that  the  elephants  were 
to  be  found. 

They  arrived  at  the  spot  in  the  afternoon,  and  every 
one  was  busy  in  making  preparations  for  the  following 
day.  The  Hottentots,  who  had  been  used  to  the  sport, 
told  long  stories  to  those  who  had  not,  and  among  the 
rest,  Big  Adam  spoke  much  of  his  prowess  and  dexterity. 
Uncommonly  large  fires  were  lighted  that  night,  for  fear 
that  the  elephants  should  break  into  the  camp.  All  night 
their  cries  were  to  be  heard  in  the  forest,  and  occasionally 
the  breaking  of  the  branches  of  the  trees  proved  that  they 
were  close  to  the  caravan.  Begum,  who  was  particularly 
alive  to  danger,  crept  to  Major  Henderson's  bed,  and 
would  remain  there  all  night,  although  he  several  times 
tried  to  drive  her  away.  Notwithstanding  continued 
alarms,  the  caravan  was,  however,  unmolested. 


Chapter  XIII 

At  daylight  the  following  morning,  there  was  a  large 
concourse  of  Caffres  in  the  camp  all  waiting  till  our 
travellers  were  ready  for  the  sport.  Having  made  a  hasty 
breakfast,  they,  by  the  advice  of  the  Caffres,  did  not 
mount  their  horses,  but  started  on  foot,  as  the  Caffres 
stated  that  the  elephants  were  on  the  other  side  of  the 
hill.  Ascending  by  an  elephant  path,  in  less  than  half  an 
hour  they  arrived  at  the  top  of  the  hill,   when  a  grand 


ioo  The  Mission 

and  magnificent  panorama  was  spread  before  them.  From 
the  crown  of  the  hill,  they  looked  down  upon  a  valley 
studded  with  clumps  of  trees,  which  divided  the  cleared 
ground,  and  the  whole  face  of  the  valley  was  covered  with 
elephants.  There  could  not  have  been  less  than  nine 
hundred  at  one  time  within  the  scope  of  their  vision. 

Every  height,  every  green  knoll  was  dotted  with  groups 
of  six  or  seven,  some  of  their  vast  bodies  partly  concealed 
by  the  trees  upon  which  they  were  browsing,  others  walk- 
ing in  the  open  plain,  bearing  in  their  trunks  a  long  branch 
of  a  tree,  with  which  they  evidently  protected  themselves 
from  the  flies.  The  huge  bodies  of  the  animals,  with  the 
corresponding  magnitude  of  the  large  timber  trees  which 
surrounded  them,  gave  an  idea  of  nature  on  her  grandest 
scale. 

After  a  few  minutes'  survey,  they  turned  to  the  party 
who  were  collected  behind  them,  and  gave  notice  that 
they  were  to  commence  immediately.  The  head  men  of 
the  CafFres  gave  their  orders,  and  the  bands  of  natives 
moved  silently  away  in  every  direction,  checking  any  noise 
from  the  dogs  which  they  had  brought  with  them  in 
numerous  packs.  Our  travellers  were  to  leeward  of  the 
herd  on  the  hill  where  they  stood,  and  as  it  was  the  in- 
tention of  the  natives  to  drive  the  animals  towards  them, 
the  CafFre  warriors  as  well  as  the  Hottentots  all  took  up 
positions  on  the  hill,  ready  to  attack  the  animals  as  they 
were  driven  that  way. 

About  an  hour  passed  away  when  the  signal  was  given 
by  some  of  the  native  CafFres,  who  had  gained  the  side  of 
the  valley  to  westward  of  the  elephants.  Perched  up  at 
various  high  spots,  they  shouted  with  stentorian  lungs, 
and  their  shouts  were  answered  by  the  rest  of  the  CafFres 
on  every  side  of  the  valley,  so  that  the  elephants  found 
themselves  encompassed  on  all  sides,  except  on  that  where 
the  hill  rose  from  the  valley.  As  the  CafFres  closed  in, 
their  shouts  reverberating  from  the  rocks,  and  mixed  up 
with  the  savage  howlings  of  the  dogs,  became  tremendous  \ 
and  the  elephants,  alarmed,  started  first  to  one  side  of  the 


The  Mission  101 

valley,  then  to  the  other,  hastily  retreating  from  the 
clamour  immediately  raised  as  they  approached,  shaking 
their  long  ears  and  trumpeting  loudly  as  with  uplifted 
trunks  they  trotted  to  and  fro. 

At  last,  finding  no  other  avenue  of  escape,  the  herd 
commenced  the  ascent  of  the  hill,  cracking  the  branches 
and  boughs,  and  rolling  the  loose  stones  down  into  the 
valley  as  they  made  their  ascent,  and  now  adding  their 
own  horrid  shrieks  to  the  din  which  had  been  previously 
created.  On  they  came,  bearing  everything  down  before 
them,  carrying  havoc  in  their  rage  to  such  an  extent,  that 
the  forest  appeared  to  bow  down  before  them  ;  while  large 
masses  of  loose  rock  leaped  and  bounded  and  thundered 
down  into  the  valley,  raising  clouds  of  dust  in  their 
passage. 

"  This  is  tremendously  grand,"  whispered  Alexander 
to  the  Major. 

"  It  is  most  awfully  so ;  I  would  not  have  missed  the 
sight  for  anything ;  but  here  they  come — look  at  that  tall 
tree  borne  down  by  the  weight  of  the  whole  mass." 

"  See,  the  great  bull  leader,"  said  Swinton  j  "  let  us 
all  fire  upon  him — what  a  monster  !  " 

"Look  out,"  said  the  Major,  whose  rifle  was  discharged 
as  he  spoke,  and  was  quickly  followed  by  those  of 
Alexander  and  Swinton. 

"  He's  down,  be  quick  and  load  again.  Omrah,  give 
me  the  other  rifle." 

"Take  care!  take  care !"  was  now  cried  on  all  sides, 
for  the  fall  of  the  leading  elephant  and  the  volleys  of 
musketry  from  the  Hottentots  had  so  frightened  the  herd, 
that  they  had  begun  to  separate  and  break  off  two  or 
three  together,  or  singly,  in  every  direction.  The  shrieks 
and  trumpetings,  and  the  crashing  of  the  boughs  so  near 
to  them,  were  now  deafening  j  and  the  danger  was  equally 
great.  The  Major  had  but  just  levelled  his  other  rifle 
when  the  dense  foliage  close  to  him  opened  as  if  by  magic, 
and  the  head  of  a  large  female  presented  itself  within  four 
yards  of  him. 


jo2  The  Mission 

Fortunately,  the  Major  was  a  man  of  great  nerve,  and 
his  rifle  brought  her  down  at  his  feet,  when  so  near  to 
him  that  he  was  compelled  to  leap  away  out  of  the  reach 
of  the  trunk,  for  she  was  not  yet  dead.  Another  smaller 
elephant  followed  so  close,  that  it  tumbled  over  the 
carcase  of  the  first,  and  was  shot  by  Alexander  as  it  was 
recovering  its  legs. 

"  Back,  sirs,  or  you  will  be  killed,"  cried  Bremen, 
running  to  them  ;  "  this  way — the  whole  herd  are  coming 
right  upon  you."  They  ran  for  their  lives,  following  the 
Hottentot,  who  brought  them  to  a  high  rock  which  the 
elephants  could  not  climb,  and  where  they  were  safe. 

They  had  hardly  gained  it  when  the  mass  came  forward 
in  a  cloud  of  dust,  and  with  a  noise  almost  inconceivable, 
scrambling  and  rolling  to  and  fro  as  they  pressed  on  in 
a  close-wedged  body.  Many  were  wounded  and  tottering, 
and  as  they  were  left  behind,  the  CafFres  naked,  with 
their  assaguays  in  their  hands,  leaping  forward  and  hiding, 
as  required,  running  with  the  greatest  activity,  close  up 
to  the  rear  of  the  animals,  either  pierced  them  with  their 
assaguays,  or  hamstrung  them  with  their  sharp-cutting 
weapons,  crying  out  in  their  own  tongue,  to  the  elephants, 
"  Great  captain !  don't  kill  us — don't  tread  upon  us, 
mighty  chief !  "  supplicating,  strangely  enough,  the  mercy 
of  those  to  whom  they  were  showing  none.  As  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  fire  without  a  chance  of  hitting  a 
CafFre,  our  travellers  contented  themselves  with  looking 
on,  till  the  whole  herd  had  passed  by,  and  had  disappeared 
in  the  jungle  below. 

"  They  have  gone  right  in  the  direction  of  the  wagons," 
said  Swinton. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  Hottentot  Bremen ;  "  but  we 
must  not  interfere  with  them  any  more ;  they  are  now 
so  scattered  in  the  jungle,  that  it  would  be  dangerous. 
We  must  let  them  go  away  as  fast  as  they  can." 

They  remained  for  a  few  minutes  more,  till  every 
elephant  and  CafFre  had  disappeared,  and  then  went  back 
cautiously  to  the  spot  from  whence  they  had  first  fired ; 


The  Mission  103 

and  where  they  had  such  a  fine  prospect  of  the  valley. 
Not  an  elephant  was  to  be  seen  in  it ;  nothing  but  the 
ravages  which  the  herd  had  committed  upon  the  trees, 
many  of  which,  of  a  very  large  size,  had  been  borne  to 
the  ground  by  the  enormous  strength  of  these  animals. 
They  then  proceeded  to  the  spot  where  the  great  bull 
elephant  had  fallen  by  the  rifle  of  Major  Henderson. 

They  found  that  the  ball  had  entered  just  under  the 
eye.  It  was  a  monster  that  must  have  stood  sixteen  feet 
high  by  Bremen's  calculation,  and  it  had  two  very  fine 
tusks.  While  they  were  standing  by  the  carcase  of  the 
animal,  the  armed  Hottentots  returned  from  the  pursuit, 
and  stated  that  seven  elephants  had  been  despatched,  and 
others  were  so  wounded  that  they  could  not  live.  They 
now  set  to  work  to  take  the  teeth  out  of  the  animal,  and 
were  very  busy,  when  a  Hottentot  came  running  up,  and 
reported  that  the  herd  of  elephants  in  their  retreat  had 
dashed  through  the  camp,  and  done  a  great  deal  of 
mischief;  that  a  male  elephant  had  charged  the  wagon 
of  Major  Henderson,  and  had  forced  his  tusk  through  the 
side ;  that  the  tusk  had  pierced  one  of  the  casks  of  liquor, 
which  was  running  out,  although  not  very  fast,  and  that 
the  wagon  must  be  unloaded  to  get  out  the  cask  and  save 
the  rest  of  the  liquor. 

Several  Hottentots  immediately  hurried  back  with  him 
to  help  in  unloading  the  wagon,  and  by  degrees  they  all 
slipped  away  except  Bremen,  Swanevelt,  who  was  cutting 
out  the  tusks,  and  Omrah,  who  remained  perched  upon 
the  huge  carcase  of  the  animal,  imitating  the  trumpeting 
and  motions  of  the  elephant,  and  playing  all  sorts  of 
antics.  A  party  of  CafFres  soon  afterwards  came  up  and 
commenced  cutting  up  the  carcase,  and  then  our  travellers 
walked  away  in  the  direction  of  the  camp,  to  ascertain 
what  mischief  had  been  done. 

On  their  return,  which,  as  they  stopped  occasionally 
to  examine  the  other  animals  that  had  fallen,  must  have 
taken  an  hour,  they  found  that  the  Hottentots  had  not 
commenced    unloading    the    wagon ;    although    they   had 


104  The  Mission 

put  tubs  to  catch  the  running  liquor,  of  which  they  had 
taken  so  large  a  quantity  that  some  were  staggering 
about,  and  the  rest  lying  down  in  a  state  of  senseless 
intoxication. 

"  I  thought  they  were  very  officious,  in  going  back 
to  assist,"  observed  the  Major ;  "a  pretty  mess  we  should 
be  in,  if  we  were  in  an  enemy's  country,  and  without  our 
CafFre  guard." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Alexander,  turning  over  the  tubs 
of  liquor,  and  spilling  it  on  the  ground,  much  to  the 
sorrow  of  the  Hottentots  who  were  not  yet  insensible ; 
"  however,  we  will  now  let  the  cask  run  out,  and  watch 
that  they  get  no  more." 

As  the  CafFres  were  busy  with  the  carcases  of  the 
elephants,  and  most  of  the  Hottentots  dead-drunk,  it  was 
useless  to  think  of  proceeding  until  the  following  day. 
Indeed,  the  oxen  and  horses  were  all  scattered  in  every 
direction,  by  the  elephants  breaking  into  the  caravan,  and 
it  would  be  necessary  to  collect  them,  which  would  require 
some  time.  Our  travellers,  therefore,  gave  up  the  idea  of 
proceeding  further  that  day,  and  taking  their  guns, 
walked  on  to  the  forest,  in  the  direction  where  most  of  the 
elephants  killed  had  fallen.  They  passed  by  three  carcases, 
upon  which  the  CafFres  were  busily  employed,  and  then 
they  came  to  a  fourth,  when  a  sight  presented  itself  which 
quite  moved  their  sympathy.  It  was  the  carcase  of  a  full- 
grown  female,  and  close  to  it  was  an  elephant  calf,  about 
three  feet  and  a  half  high,  standing  by  the  side  of  its  dead 
mother. 

The  poor  little  animal  ran  round  and  round  the  body 
with  every  demonstration  of  grief,  piping  sorrowfully,  and 
trying  in  vain  to  raise  it  up  with  its  tiny  trunk.  When 
our  travellers  arrived,  it  ran  up  to  them,  entwining  its 
little  proboscis  round  their  legs,  and  showing  its  delight  at 
finding  somebody.  On  the  trees,  round  the  carcase,  were 
perched  a  number  of  vultures,  waiting  to  make  a  meal  of 
the  remains,  as  soon  as  the  hunters  had  cut  it  up,  for  their 
beaks  could  not  penetrate  the  tough  hide.     Our  travellers 


The  Mission  105 

remained  there  for  more  than  an  hour,  watching  the  motions 
and  playing  with  the  young  elephant,  which  made  several 
attempts  to  induce  its  prostrate  mother  to  take  notice  of  it. 
Finding,  however,  that  all  its  efforts  were  ineffectual,  when 
our  travellers  quitted  the  spot  to  go  back,  it  voluntarily 
followed  them  to  the  caravans,  where  it  remained,  probably 
quite  as  much  astonished  to  find  all  the  Hottentots  lying 
about  as  insensible  as  its  mother. 

It  may  be  as  well  here  to  observe,  that  the  little  animal 
did  not  live  beyond  a  very  few  days  after,  from  want  of 
its  necessary  food. 

In  the  evening,  Bremen  and  Swanevelt  returned  with  the 
tusks  of  the  bull  elephant,  which  were  very  large,  and  the 
Caffre  warriors  also  came  in  ;  the  other  Caffres  belonging 
to  the  country  were  too  busy  eating  for  the  present.  The 
chief  of  the  Caffre  warriors  brought  in  the  tufts  of  the 
other  elephants'  tails  and  the  teeth,  and  the  men  were  loaded 
with  the  flesh.  As  soon  as  the  Caffres  found  that  the  oxen 
and  horses  had  been  frightened  away,  and  perceived  that 
the  Hottentots  were  not  in  a  situation  to  go  after  them, 
they  threw  down  their  meat  and  went  in  pursuit.  Before 
night,  the  cattle  were  all  brought  back ;  the  fires  were 
lighted,  and  the  Caffres  did  not  give  over  their  repast 
until  near  midnight. 

Our  travellers  did  not  think  it  advisable,  as  the 
Hottentots  were  now  no  protection,  to  go  to  bed  ;  they 
made  up  a  large  fire,  and  remained  by  it,  talking  over  the 
adventures  of  the  day.  While  they  were  conversing, 
Begum,  who  had  been  sitting  by  her  master,  showed  signs 
of  uneasiness,  and  at  last  clung  round  the  Major  with  an 
evident  strong  fear. 

"  Why,  what  can  be  the  matter  with  the  Princess  ? " 
said  the  Major  -,  "  something  has  frightened  her." 

"  Yes,  that  is  evident ;  perhaps  there  is  an  elephant 
near  ;  shall  we  waken  Bremen  and  Swanevelt,  who  are 
close  to  us  ?  " 

Begum  chattered,  and  her  teeth  also  chattered  with  fear 
as  she  clung  closer  and  closer.     Little  Omrah,  who  was 


io6  The  Mission 

sitting  by,  looked  very  earnestly  at  the  baboon,  and  at 
last  touching  the  shoulder  of  Alexander  to  attract  his 
attention,  he  first  pointed  to  the  baboon,  imitating  its 
fright,  and  then  going  on  his  hands  and  feet,  imitated  the 
motions  and  growl  of  an  animal. 

"  I  understand,"  cried  the  Major,  seizing  his  gun  ;  "  the 
lad  means  that  there  is  a  lion  near,  and  that  is  what 
frightens  the  baboon." 

"  Lion  !  "  said  the  Major  to  Omrah. 

But  Omrah  did  not  understand  him  ;  but  pulling  out  his 
paper  and  pencil,  in  a  second  almost,  he  drew  the  form  of 
a  lion. 

"  Clever  little  fellow  !  Wake  them  all,  and  get  your 
guns  ready,"  said  the  Major,  starting  on  his  legs ;  "  it 
can't  be  far  off;  confound  the  monkey,  she  won't  let  go," 
continued  he,  tearing  off  Begum  and  throwing  her  away. 
Begum  immediately  scampered  to  the  wagon  and  hid 
herself. 

They  had  just  wakened  up  the  two  Hottentots,  when  a 
roar  was  given  so  loud  and  tremendous,  that  it  appeared 
like  thunder,  and  was  reverberated  from  the  rocks  opposite 
for  some  seconds. 

No  one  but  those  who  have  been  in  the  country,  and 
have  fallen  in  with  this  animal  in  its  wild  and  savage  state, 
can  have  any  idea  of  the  appalling  effect  of  a  lion's  roar. 
What  is  heard  in  a  menagerie  is  weak,  and  can  give  but  a 
faint  conception  of  it.  In  the  darkness  of  the  night,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  tell  from  what  quarter  the  sound 
proceeds  ;  this  arises  from  the  habit  which  the  animal  has 
of  placing  his  mouth  close  to  the  ground  when  he  roars,  so 
that  his  voice  rolls  over  the  earth,  as  it  were  like  a  breaker, 
and  the  sound  is  carried  along  with  all  its  tremendous 
force.  It  is  indeed  a  most  awful  note  of  preparation, 
and  so  thought  Alexander,  who  had  never  heard  one 
before. 

The  Caffres  had  wakened  up  at  the  noise,  and  our 
travellers  and  the  Hottentots  now  fired  their  guns  off  in 
every    direction   to   scare   away    the    animal.       Repeated 


The  Mission  107 

discharges  had  this  effect,  and  in  the  course  of  half  an 
hour,  everything  was  again  quiet. 

"  Well,"  observed  Alexander,  "  this  is  the  first  time 
that  I  ever  heard  the  roar  of  a  lion  in  its  wild  state,  and 
I  can  assure  you  that  I  shall  never  forget  it  as  long  as 
I  live." 

"It  is  not  the  first  time  that  I  have  heard  it,"  replied 
the  Major  ;  "  but  I  must  say,  what  with  the  darkness  and 
stillness  of  the  night  and  the  reverberation,  I  never  heard 
it  so  awful  before.  But  you,  Swinton,  who  have  travelled 
in  the  Namaqua-land,  have,  of  course." 

"  Yes,  I  have,  but  very  seldom." 

"  But  it  is  rather  singular  that  we  have  not  heard  the 
lion  before  this,  is  it  not  ? "  said  Alexander. 

"  The  lion  is  often  very  near  without  giving  you  notice," 
replied  Swinton ;  "  but  I  do  not  think  that  there  are  many 
lions  in  the  country  we  have  traversed ;  it  is  too  populous. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  mountains,  if  we  return  that  way, 
we  shall  find  them  in  plenty.  Wherever  the  antelopes  are 
in  herds,  wherever  you  find  the  wild  horse,  zebra,  and 
giraffe,  you  will  as  certainly  find  the  lion,  for  he  preys 
upon  them." 

"I  know  very  well,  Swinton,  that  you  are  closely  atten- 
tive to  the  peculiar  habits  of  animals,  and  that  they  form 
a  portion  of  your  study.  Have  you  much  knowledge  of 
the  lion  ?  and  if  so,  suppose  you  tell  us  something  about 
him." 

"  I  have  certainly  studied  the  habits  of  the  lion,  and 
what  I  have  gathered  from  my  own  observation  and  the 
information  I  have  received  from  others,  I  shall  be  most 
happy  to  communicate.  The  lion  undoubtedly  does  not 
icill  wantonly — of  that  I  have  had  repeated  instances.  I 
recollect  one  which  is  rather  remarkable,  as  it  showed  the 
sagacity  of  the  noble  brute.  A  man  who  belonged  to  one 
of  the  Mission  stations,  on  his  return  home  from  a  visit 
to  his  friends,  took  a  circuitous  route  to  pass  by  a  pool 
of  water,  at  which  he  hoped  to  kill  an  antelope.  The  sun 
had  risen  to  some  height  when  he  arrived  there,  and  as  he 


108  The  Mission 

could  not  perceive  any  game,  he  laid  his  gun  down  on  a 
low  shelving  rock,  the  back  part  of  which  was  covered 
with  some  brushwood.  He  went  down  to  the  pool,  and 
had  a  hearty  drink,  returned  to  the  rock,  and  after  smok- 
ing his  pipe,  feeling  weary,  he  lay  down  and  fell  fast 
asleep. 

"  In  a  short  time,  the  excessive  heat  reflected  from  the 
rock  awoke  him,  and  opening  his  eyes,  he  perceived  a  large 
lion  about  a  yard  from  his  feet  crouched  down,  with  his 
eyes  glaring  on  his  face.  For  some  minutes  he  remained 
motionless  with  fright,  expecting  every  moment  that  he 
would  be  in  the  jaws  of  the  monster  ;  at  last  he  recovered 
his  presence  of  mind,  and  casting  his  eye  towards  his  gun, 
moved  his  hand  slowly  towards  it  j  upon  which  the  lion 
raised  up  his  head  and  gave  a  tremendous  roar,  which 
induced  him  hastily  to  withdraw  his  hand.  With  this  the 
lion  appeared  satisfied,  and  crouched  with  his  head  between 
his  fore-paws  as  before.  After  a  little  while,  the  man 
made  another  attempt  to  possess  himself  of  his  gun  ;  the 
lion  raised  his  head  and  gave  another  roar,  and  the  man 
desisted  ;  another  and  another  attempt  were  at  intervals 
made,  but  always  with  the  same  anger  shown  on  the  part 
of  the  lion." 

"  Why,  the  lion  must  have  known  what  he  wanted  the 
gun  for." 

"  Most  certainly  he  did,  and  therefore  would  not  allow 
the  man  to  touch  it.  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  saga- 
cious creature  had  been  fired  at  before  ;  but  you  observe, 
that  he  did  not  wish  to  harm  the  man.  He  appeared  to 
say — You  are  in  my  power  ;  you  shall  not  go  away ;  you 
shall  not  take  your  musket  to  shoot  me  with,  or  I  will  tear 
you  to  pieces." 

"  It  certainly  was  very  curious.  Pray  how  did  it 
end?" 

"  Why,  the  heat  of  the  sun  on  the  rock  was  so  over- 
powering, that  the  man  was  in  great  agony ;  his  naked 
feet  were  so  burnt,  that  he  was  compelled  to  keep  moving 
them,  by  placing  one  upon  the  other  and  changing  them 


The  Mission  109 

every  minute.  The  day  passed  and  the  night  also ;  the 
lion  never  moved  from  the  spot.  The  sun  rose  again  and 
the  heat  became  so  intense  that  the  poor  man's  feet  were 
past  all  feeling.  At  noon,  on  that  day,  the  lion  rose  and 
walked  to  the  pool,  which  was  only  a  few  yards  distant, 
looking  behind  him  every  moment  to  see  if  the  man 
moved ;  the  man  once  more  attempted  to  reach  his  gun, 
and  the  lion  perceiving  it,  turned  in  a  rage,  and  was  on 
the  point  of  springing  upon  him  ;  the  man  withdrew  his 
hand  and  the  beast  was  pacified." 

"  How  very  strange  !  " 

"  The  animal  went  to  the  water  and  drank  ;  it  then 
returned  and  lay  down  at  the  same  place  as  before,  about 
a  yard  from  the  man's  feet.  Another  night  passed  away 
and  the  lion  kept  at  his  post.  The  next  day,  in  the  fore- 
noon, the  animal  again  went  to  the  water,  and  while  there, 
he  looked  as  if  he  heard  a  noise  in  an  opposite  quarter,  and 
then  disappeared  in  the  bushes. 

"  Perceiving  this,  the  man  made  an  effort  and  seized 
his  gun,  but  in  attempting  to  rise  he  found  it  not  in  his 
power,  as  the  strength  of  his  ankles  was  gone.  With  his 
gun  in  his  hand  he  crept  to  the  pool  and  drank,  and  looking 
at  his  feet,  he  discovered  that  his  toes  had  been  quite 
roasted  and  the  skin  torn  off  as  he  crawled  through  the 
grass.  He  sat  at  the  pool  for  a  few  moments,  expecting 
the  lion's  return,  and  resolved  to  send  the  contents  of  his 
gun  through  his  head ;  but  the  lion  did  not  return,  so  the 
poor  fellow  tied  his  gun  on  his  back  and  crawled  away  on 
his  hands  and  knees  as  well  as  he  could.  He  was  quite 
exhausted,  and  could  have  proceeded  no  further,  when 
providentially  a  person  fell  in  with  him  and  assisted  him 
home ;  but  he  lost  his  toes,  and  was  a  cripple  for  life." 

"  What  makes  this  story  more  remarkable,  is,"  observed 
the  Major,  "  that  the  lion,  as  it  is  rational  to  suppose, 
must  have  been  hungry  after  watching  the  man  for  sixty 
hours,  even  admitting  that  he  had  taken  a  meal  but  a  short 
time  before." 

"  I  know  many  other  very  curious  and  well-authenticated 


no  The  Mission 

anecdotes  about  this  noble  animal,"  observed  Swinton, 
"  which  I  shall  be  happy  to  give  you  ;  but  I  must  look  at 
my  memorandum-book,  or  I  may  not  be  quite  correct  in 
my  story.     One  fact  is  very  remarkable,  and  as  I  had  it 

from  Mr  ,  the  missionary,  who  stated  that   he  had 

several  times  observed  it  himself,  I  have  no  hesitation  in 
vouching  for  its  correctness,  the  more  so,  as  I  did  once 
perceive  a  similar  fact  myself;  it  is,  that  the  fifth  com- 
mandment is  observed  by  the  lions — they  honour  their 
father  and  mother. 

"If  an  old  lion  is  in  company  with  his  children,  as  the 
natives  call  them,  although  they  are  in  size  equal  to  him- 
self; or  if  a  number  of  lions  meet  together  in  quest  of 
game,  there  is  always  one  who  is  admitted  by  them  to  be 
the  oldest  and  ablest,  and  who  leads.  If  the  game  is  come 
up  with,  it  is  this  one  who  creeps  up  to  it  and  seizes  it, 
while  the  others  lie  crouched  upon  the  grass ;  if  the  old 
lion  is  successful,  which  he  generally  is,  he  retires  from 
his  victim  and  lies  down  to  breathe  himself  and  rest  for 
perhaps  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  The  others  in  the  mean- 
time draw  round  and  lie  down  at  a  respectful  distance, 
but  never  presume  to  go  near  the  animal  which  the  old 
lion  has  killed.  As  soon  as  the  old  lion  considers  himself 
sufficiently  rested,  he  goes  up  to  the  prey  and  commences 
at  the  breast  and  stomach,  and  after  eating  a  considerable 
portion,  he  will  take  a  second  rest,  none  of  the  others 
presuming  to  move. 

"  Having  made  a  second  repast,  he  then  retires ;  the 
other  lions  watch  his  motions,  and  all  rush  to  the  remainder 
of  the  carcase,  which  is  soon  devoured.  I  said  that  I 
witnessed  an  instance  myself  in  corroboration  of  this  state- 
ment, which  I  will  now  mention.  I  was  sitting  on  a  rock 
after  collecting  some  plants,  when  below  me  I  saw  a 
young  lion  seize  an  antelope ;  he  had  his  paw  upon  the 
dead  animal,  when  the  old  lion  came  up, — upon  which  the 
young  one  immediately  retired  till  his  superior  had  dined 
first,  and  then  came  in  for  the  remainder.  Mercy  on  us  ! 
what  is  that  ? " 


The  Mission 


1 1 1 


"I  thought  it  was  the  lion  again,"  said  Alexander,  "but 
it  is  thunder ;  we  are  about  to  have  a  storm." 

"Yes,  and  a  fierce  one  too,"  said  the  Major  j  "I  am 
afraid  that  we  must  break  up  our  party  and  retire  under 
cover.     We  have  some  large  drops  of  rain  already." 

A  flash  of  lightning  now  dazzled  them,  and  was 
followed  by  another,  and  an  instantaneous  peal  of  thunder. 

"  There  is  no  mistake  in  this,"  said  Swinton,  "  and  I 
can  tell  you  that  we  shall  have  it  upon  us  in  less  than  a 
minute,  so  I  am  for  my  wagon." 

"  At  all  events  it  will  wash  these  Hottentots  sober," 
observed  the  Major,  as  they  all  walked  away  to  their 
separate  wagons  for  shelter. 


Chapter  XIV 

They  had  scarcely  gained  the  wagons  before  the  thunder 
and  lightning  became  incessant,  and  so  loud  as  to  be 
deafening.  It  appeared  as  if  they  were  in  the  very  centre 
of  the  contending  elements,  and  the  wind  rose  and  blew 
with  terrific  force,  while  the  rain  poured  down  as  if  the 
floodgates  of  heaven  were  indeed  opened.  The  lightning 
was  so  vivid,  that  for  the  second  that  it  lasted  you  could 
see  the  country  round  to  the  horizon  almost  as  clear  as 
day ;  the  next  moment  all  was  terrific  gloom  accompanied 
by  the  stunning  reports  of  the  thunder,  which  caused 
every  article  in  the  wagons,  and  the  wagons  themselves, 
to  vibrate  from  the  concussion.  A  large  tree,  not  fifty 
yards  from  the  caravan,  was  struck  by  the  lightning  and 
came  down  with  an  appalling  crash.  The  Caffres  had  all 
roused  up,  and  had  sheltered  themselves  under  the 
wagons. 

The  Hottentots  had  also  begun  to  move,  but  had  not 
yet  recovered  their  senses — indeed,  they  were  again 
stupefied  by  the  clamour  of  the  elements.  The  storm 
lasted  about  an  hour,  and  then  as  suddenly  it  cleared  up 


1 1 2  The  Mission 

again  ;  the  stars  again  made  their  appearance  in  the  sky 
above,  and  the  red  tinge  of  the  horizon  announced  the 
approach  of  daylight.  "When  the  storm  ceased,  our 
travellers,  who  had  not  taken  off  their  clothes,  came  out 
from  their  shelter,  and  met  each  other  by  the  side  of  the 
extinguished  fire. 

"  Well,"  said  Alexander,  "  I  have  been  made  wise  on 
two  points  this  night ;  I  now  know  what  an  African  storm 
is,  and  also  the  roar  of  an  African  lion.  Have  you  heard 
if  there  is  any  mischief  done,  Bremen  ? "  continued 
Alexander,  to  the  Hottentot,  who  stood  by. 

"No,  sir;  but  I  am  afraid  it  will  take  us  a  long  while 
to  collect  the  cattle ;  they  will  be  dispersed  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  we  may  have  lost  some  of  them.  It  will  soon 
be  daylight,  and  then  we  must  set  off  after  them." 

"  Are  those  fellows  quite  sober  now  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  Bremen,  laughing  ;  "  water  has 
washed  all  the  liquor  out  of  them." 

"Well,  you  may  tell  them,  as  a  punishment,  I  shall 
stop  their  tobacco  for  a  week." 

"  Better  not  now,  sir,"  said  Bremen,  thoughtfully  ; 
"  the  men  don't  like  to  go  further  up  the  country,  and 
they  may  be  troublesome." 

"I  think  so  too,"  said  Swinton  ;  "you  must  recollect 
that  the  cask  was  running  out,  and  the  temptation  was  too 
strong.  I  should  overlook  it  this  time.  Give  them  a 
severe  reprimand,  and  let  them  off." 

"  I  believe  it  will  be  the  best  way,"  replied  Alexander ; 
"  not  that  I  fear  their  refusing  to  go  on,  for  if  they  do,  I 
will  dismiss  them,  and  go  on  with  the  Caffres ;  they  dare 
not  go  back  by  themselves,  that  is  certain." 

"  Sir,"  said  Bremen,  "  that  is  very  true ;  but  must  not 
trust  the  Caffres  too  much — Caffres  always  try  to  get  guns 
and  ammunition :  Caffre  king,  Hinza,  very  glad  to  get  the 
wagons,  and  what  is  in  them ;  make  him  rich  man,  and 
powerful  man,  with  so  many  guns.  Caffre  king  will  not 
rob  in  his  own  country,  because  he  is  afraid  of  the  English; 
but  if  the  wagon's  robbed,   and  you    all   killed  in   this 


The  Mission  1 13 

country,  which  is  not  his,  then  he  make  excuses,  and  say, 
I  know  nothing  about  it.  Say  that  their  people  do  it,  not 
his  people." 

"  Bremen  talks  very  sensibly,"  said  the  Major ;  "  we 
must  keep  the  Hottentots  as  a  check  to  the  Caffres,  and 
the  Caffres  as  a  check  to  the  Hottentots." 

"  That  is  our  policy,  depend  upon  it,"  replied  Swinton. 

"You  are  right,  and  we  will  do  so;  but  the  day  is 
breaking ;  so,  Bremen,  collect  the  people  together  to 
search  for  the  cattle  ;  and,  Omrah,  tell  Mahommed  to  come 
here." 

"By-the-bye,  Swinton,"  said  Major  Henderson,  "those 
elephants'  tusks  lying  by  the  wagon  remind  me  of  a 
question  I  want  to  put  to  you  : — In  Ceylon,  where  I  have 
often  hunted  the  elephant,  they  have  no  tusks  ;  and  in  India 
the  tusks  are  not  common,  and  in  general  very  small. 
How  do  you  account  for  this  variety  ? " 

"  It  has  been  observed  before ;  and  it  is  but  a  fair 
surmise,  that  Providence,  ever  attentive  to  the  wants  of 
the  meanest  animals,  has  furnished  such  large  tusks  to  the 
African  elephant  for  the  necessity  which  requires  them. 
In  Ceylon  there  is  plenty  of  grass,  and  an  abundant  supply 
of  water  all  the  year  round  ;  and  further,  in  Ceylon,  the 
elephant  has  no  enemy  to  defend  himself  against.  Here 
in  Africa,  the  rivers  are  periodical  torrents,  which  dry  up, 
and  the  only  means  which  an  elephant  has  of  obtaining 
water  during  the  dry  season  is  to  dig  with  his  tusks  into 
the  bed  of  the  river,  till  he  finds  the  water,  which  he 
draws  up  with  his  trunk.  Moreover,  he  has  to  defend 
himself  against  the  rhinoceros,  which  is  a  formidable 
antagonist,  and  often  victorious.  He  requires  tusks  also 
for  his  food  in  this  country,  for  the  elephant  digs  up  the 
mimosa  here  with  his  tusks,  that  he  may  feed  upon  the 
succulent  roots  of  the  tree.  Indeed,  an  elephant  in 
Africa  without  his  tusks  could  not  well  exist." 

"  Thank  you  for  your  explanation,  which  appears  very 
satisfactory  and  conclusive  ;  and  now  let  us  go  to  break- 
fast, for  Mahommed,  I  perceive,  is  ready,  and  Omrah  has 

M  H 


H4  The  Mission 

displayed  our  tea-cups,  and  is  very  busy  blowing  into  the 
spout  of  the  tea-pot,  a  Bushman  way  of  ascertaining  if  it  is 
stopped  up.  However,  we  must  not  expect  to  make  a 
London  footman  out  of  a  '  Child  of  the  Desert.'  " 

"  Where  is  his  adversary  and  antagonist,  the  valiant 
Big  Adam  ? " 

"  He  was  among  those  who  indulged  in  the  liquor 
yesterday  afternoon,  and  I  believe  was  worse  than  any  one 
of  them.  The  little  Bushman  did  not  fail  to  take  advant- 
age of  his  defenceless  state,  and  has  been  torturing  him 
in  every  way  he  could  imagine  during  the  whole  night. 
I  saw  him  pouring  water  into  the  Hottentot's  mouth  as  he 
lay  on  his  back  with  his  mouth  wide  open,  till  he  nearly 
choked  him.  To  get  it  down  faster,  Omrah  had  taken 
the  big  tin  funnel,  and  had  inserted  one  end  into  his 
mouth,  which  he  filled  till  the  water  ran  out ;  after  that, 
he  was  trying  what  he  could  do  with  fire,  for  he  began 
putting  hot  embers  between  Big  Adam's  toes — I  daresay 
the  fellow  cannot  walk  to-day." 

"  I  fear  that,  some  day,  he  will  kill  Omrah,  or  do  him 
some  serious  injury  j  the  boy  must  be  cautioned,"  said 
Alexander. 

"lam  afraid  it  will  be  of  no  use,  and  Omrah  must  take 
his  chance — he  is  aware  of  Big  Adam's  enmity  as  well  as 
you  are,  and  is  always  on  his  guard  ;  but  as  for  persuading 
him  to  leave  off  his  tricks  or  to  reconcile  them  to  each 
other,  it  is  impossible,"  said  Swinton — "  you  don't  know 
a  Bushman." 

"  Then  pray  tell  us  something  about  them,"  said  the 
Major,  "  as  soon  as  you  have  finished  that  elephant's 
steak,  which  you  appear  to  approve  of.  Of  what  race 
are  the  Bushmen  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you  when  I  have  finished  my  breakfast," 
replied  Swinton,  "  and  not  before — if  I  begin  to  talk, 
you  will  eat  all  the  steak,  and  that  won't  do." 

"  I  suspect  that  we  shall  not  leave  this  to-day,"  said 
Alexander.  "  If,  as  Bremen  says,  the  cattle  have  strayed 
very  far,  it  will  be  too  late  to  go  in  the  afternoon,  and 


The  Mission  1 1 5 

to-morrow  you  recollect  is  Sunday,  and  that,  we  have 
agreed,  shall  be  kept  as  it  ought  to  be." 

"  Very  true,"  said  the  Major  j  "  then  we  must  make 
Swinton  entertain  us,  by  telling  us  more  about  the  lions, 
for  he  had  not  finished  when  the  storm  came  on." 

"  No,"  replied  Swinton-,  "I  had  a  great  deal  more  to 
say,  and  I  shall  be  very  happy  at  any  seasonable  time, 
Major,  to  tell  you  what  1  know — but  not  just  now." 

"  My  dear  fellow,"  said  the  Major,  putting  another 
piece  of  elephant's  steak  upon  Swinton's  plate,  "  pray 
don't  entertain  the  idea  that  I  want  you  to  talk  on  purpose 
that  I  may  eat  your  share  and  my  own  too ;  only  ascribe 
my  impatience  to  the  true  cause — the  delight  I  have  in 
receiving  instruction  and  amusement  from  you." 

"  Well,  Swinton,  you  have  extorted  a  compliment  from 
the  Major." 

"  Yes,  and  an  extra  allowance  of  steak,  which  is  a 
better  thing,"  replied  Swinton,  laughing.  "  Now  I  have 
finished  my  breakfast,  I  will  tell  what  I  know  about 
Omrah's  people. 

"  The  Bushmen  are  originally  a  Hottentot  race — of  that 
I  think  there  is  little  doubt ;  but  I  believe  they  are  a  race 
of  people  produced  by  circumstances,  if  I  may  use  the 
expression.  The  Hottentot  on  the  plains  lives  a  nomade 
life,  pasturing  and  living  upon  his  herds.  The  Bushman 
may  be  considered  as  the  Hottentot  driven  out  of  his 
fertile  plains,  deprived  of  his  cattle,  and  compelled  to 
resort  to  the  hills  for  his  safety  and  subsistence — in  short, 
a  Hill  Hottentot ;  impelled  by  hunger  and  by  injuries,  he 
has  committed  depredations  upon  the  property  of  others 
until  he  has  had  a  mark  set  upon  him ;  his  hand  has  been 
against  every  man,  and  he  has  been  hunted  like  a  wild 
beast,  and  compelled  to  hide  himself  in  the  caves  of  almost 
inaccessible  rocks  and  hills." 

"  Thus,  generation  after  generation,  he  has  suffered 
privation  and  hunger,  till  the  race  has  dwindled  down  to 
the  small  size  which  it  is  at  present.  Unable  to  contend 
against  force,  his  only  weapons  have  been  his  cunning  and 


1 1 6  The  Mission 

his  poisoned  arrows,  and  with  them  he  has  obtained  his  liveli- 
hood— or  rather,  it  may  be  said,  has  contrived  to  support 
life,  and  no  more.  There  are,  however,  many  races  mixed 
up  with  the  Bushmen ;  for  runaway  slaves,  brought  from 
Madagascar,  Malays,  and  even  those  of  the  mixed  white 
breed,  when  they  have  committed  murder  or  other  penal 
crimes,  have  added  to  the  race  and  incorporated  themselves 
with  them  ;  they  are  called  the  Children  of  the  Desert,  and 
they  are  literally  such." 

"  Have  you  seen  much  of  them  ? " 

"  Yes,  when  I  was  in  the  Namaqua-land  and  in  the 
Bechuana  territory  I  saw  a  great  deal  of  them.  I  do  not 
think  that  they  are  insensible  to  kindness,  and  moreover,  I 
believe  that  they  may  often  be  trusted,  but  you  run  a 
great  risk." 

"  Have  they  ever  shown  any  gratitude  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  when  I  have  killed  game  for  them,  they  have 
followed  me  on  purpose  to  show  me  the  pools  of  water, 
without  which  we  should  have  suffered  severely,  if  wc  had 
not  perished.  We  were  talking  about  lions ;  it  is  an  old 
received  opinion  that  the  jackal  is  the  lion's  provider ;  it 
would  be  a  more  correct  one  to  say  that  the  lion  is  the 
Bushman's  provider." 

"  Indeed  ! " 

"I  once  asked  a  Bushman,  'How  do  you  live?'  His 
reply  was,  '  I  live  by  the  lions.'  I  asked  him  to  explain  to 
me.  He  said,  *.  I  will  show  what  I  do :  I  let  the  lions 
follow  the  game  and  kill  it  and  eat  it  till  they  have  their 
bellies  full,  then  I  go  up  to  where  the  lion  is  sitting  down 
by  the  carcase,  and  I  go  pretty  near  to  him  ;  I  cry  out, 
What  have  you  got  there,  cannot  you  spare  me  some  of  it  ? 
Go  away  and  let  me  have  some  meat,  or  I'll  do  you  some 
harm.  Then  I  dance  and  jump  about  and  shake  my  skin- 
dress,  and  the  lion  looks  at  me,  and  he  turns  round  and 
walks  away  ;  he  growls  very  much,  but  he  don't  stay,  and 
then  I  eat  the  rest.' " 

"  And  is  that  true  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  believe  it,  as  I  have  had  it  confessed  by  many 


The  Mission  117 

others.  The  fact  is,  the  lion  is  only  dangerous  when  he  is 
hungry — that  is,  if  he  is  not  attacked ;  and  if,  as  the 
Bushman  said,  the  lion  has  eaten  sufficiently,  probably  not 
wishing  to  be  disturbed,  after  his  repast,  by  the  presence 
and  shouts  of  the  Bushman,  the  animal  retires  to  some 
other  spot.  I  was  informed  that,  a  very  short  time  after- 
wards, this  Bushman,  who  had  told  me  what  I  have  detailed 
to  you,  was  killed  by  a  lioness,  when  attempting  to  drive 
it  away  from  its  prey  by  shouting  as  he  was  used  to  do. 
The  fact  was,  that  he  perceived  a  lioness  devouring  a  wild 
horse,  and  went  up  to  her  as  usual,  but  he  did  not  observe 
that  she  had  her  whelps  with  her :  he  shouted ;  she 
growled  savagely,  and  before  he  had  time  to  retreat,  she 
sprang  upon  him  and  tore  him  to  pieces." 

"  The  lion  does  not  prey  upon  men,  then,  although  he 
destroys  them  ? " 

"  Not  generally ;  but  the  Namaqua  people  told  me  that, 
if  a  lion  once  takes  a  fancy  to  men's  flesh — and  they  do, 
after  they  have  in  their  hunger  devoured  one  or  two — they 
become  doubly  dangerous,  as  they  will  leave  all  other  game 
and  hunt  man  only ;  but  this  I  cannot  vouch  for  being  the 
truth,  although  it  is  very  probable." 

"  If  we  judge  from  analogy,  it  is,"  replied  the  Major. 
"  The  Bengal  tigers  in  India,  it  is  well  known,  if  they 
once  taste  human  flesh,  prefer  it  to  all  other,  and  they  are 
well  known  to  the  natives,  who  term  them  men-eaters. 
Strange  to  say,  it  appears  that  human  flesh  is  not  whole- 
some for  them  ;  for  their  skins  become  mangy  after  they 
have  taken  to  eating  that  alone.  I  have  shot  a  '  man-eater ' 
from  the  back  of  an  elephant,  and  I  found  that  the  skin 
was  not  worth  taking." 

"  The  Namaquas,"  replied  Swinton,  "  told  me  that  a 
lion,  once  enamoured  of  human  flesh,  would,  in  order  to 
obtain  it,  so  far  overcome  his  caution,  that  he  would  leap 
through  a  fire  to  seize  a  man.  I  once  went  to  visit  a 
Namaqua  chief,  who  had  been  severely  wounded  by  a  lion 
of  this  description — a  man-eater,  as  the  Major  terms  them 
— and  he  gave  me  the  following  dreadful  narrative,  which 


n8  The  Mission 

certainly  corroborates  what  they  assert  of  the  lion  who  has 
once  taken  a  fancy  to  human  flesh. 

"  The  chief  told  me  that  he  had  gone  out  with  a  party 
of  his  men  to  hunt ;  they  had  guns,  bows  and  arrows,  and 
assaguays.  On  the  first  day,  as  they  were  pursuing  an 
elephant,  they  came  across  some  lions,  who  attacked  them, 
and  they  were  obliged  to  save  their  lives  by  abandoning  a 
horse,  which  the  lions  devoured.  They  then  made  hiding- 
places  of  thick  bushes  by  a  pool,  where  they  knew  the 
elephant  and  rhinoceros  would  come  to  drink. 

"  As  they  fired  at  a  rhinoceros,  a  lion  leaped  into  their 
enclosure,  took  up  one  of  the  men  in  his  mouth  and  carried 
him  ofT,  and  all  that  they  afterwards  could  find  of  him  the 
next  day,  was  one  of  the  bones  of  his  leg.  The  next 
night,  as  they  were  sitting  by  a  fire  inside  of  their  enclosure 
of  bushes,  a  lion  came,  seized  one  of  the  men,  dragged  him 
through  the  fire,  and  tore  out  his  back.  One  of  the  party 
fired,  but  missed ;  upon  which,  the  lion,  dropping  his 
dying  victim,  growled  at  the  men  across  the  fire,  and  they 
durst  not  repeat  the  shot ;  the  lion  then  took  up  his  prey 
in  his  mouth,  and  went  off  with  it. 

"Alarmed  at  such  disasters,  the  Namaquas  collected 
together  in  one  strong  enclosure,  and  at  night  sent  out  one 
of  the  slaves  for  water.  He  had  no  sooner  reached  the 
pool  than  he  was  seized  by  a  lion  ;  he  called  in  vain  for 
help,  but  was  dragged  off  through  the  woods,  and  the 
next  day  his  skull  only  was  found,  clean  licked  by  the 
rough  tongue  of  the  lion. 

"  Having  now  lost  three  men  in  three  days,  the  chief 
and  his  whole  party  turned  out  to  hunt  and  destroy  lions 
only.  They  followed  the  spoor  or  track  of  the  one 
which  had  taken  the  slave,  and  they  soon  found  two  lions, 
one  of  which,  the  smallest,  they  shot ;  and  then,  having 
taken  their  breakfast,  they  went  after  the  other  and  largest, 
which  was  recognised  as  the  one  which  had  devoured  the 
man. 

"  They  followed  the  animal  to  a  patch  of  reeds,  where 
it  had  entrenched  itself;  they  set  fire  to  the   reeds  and 


The  Mission  1 1 9 

forced  it  out,  and  as  it  was  walking  off  it  was  severely 
wounded  by  one  of  the  party,  when  it  immediately  turned 
back,  and,  with  a  loud  roar,  charged  right  through  the 
smoke  and  the  burning  reeds.  The  monster  dashed  in 
among  them  and  seized  the  chief's  brother  by  the  back, 
tearing  out  his  ribs  and  exposing  his  lungs. 

"  The  chief  rushed  to  the  assistance  of  his  expiring 
brother  ;  his  gun  burnt  priming.  He  dashed  it  down,  and 
in  his  desperation  seized  the  lion  by  the  tail.  The  lion  let 
go  the  body,  and  turned  upon  the  chief,  and  with  a  stroke 
of  his  fore-paw  tore  a  large  piece  of  flesh  off  the  chief's 
arm ;  then  struck  him  again  and  threw  him  on  the  ground. 
The  chief  rose  instantly,  but  the  lion  then  seized  him  by 
the  knee,  threw  him  down  again,  and  there  held  him, 
mangling  his  left  arm. 

"  Torn  and  bleeding,  the  chief  in  a  feeble  voice  called 
to  his  men  to  shoot  the  animal  from  behind,  which  was  at 
last  done  with  a  ball  which  passed  through  the  lion's  brain. 
After  this  destruction  of  four  men  in  four  days,  the  hunt- 
ing was  given  over ;  the  body  of  the  chief's  brother  was 
buried,  and  the  party  went  home  bearing  with  them  their 
wounded  chief." 

"  Well,  that  is  the  most  horrible  lion  adventure  I  have 
yet  heard,"  said  the  Major.  "  Heaven  preserve  us  from  a 
man-eating  lion  ! " 

"It  really  has  almost  taken  away  my  breath,"  said 
Alexander. 

"Well  then,  I  will  tell  you  one  more  amusing,  and  not 
so  fatal  in  its  results  ;  I  was  told  it  by  a  Bushman,"  said 
Swinton.  "  A  Bushman  was  following  a  herd  of  zebras, 
and  had  just  succeeded  in  wounding  one  with  his  arrow, 
when  he  discovered  that  he  had  been  interfering  with  a 
lion,  who  was  also  in  chase  of  the  same  animals.  As  the 
lion  appeared  very  angry  at  this  interference  with  his  rights 
as  lord  of  the  manor,  and  evidently  inclined  to  punish  the 
Bushman  as  a  poacher  upon  his  preserves,  the  latter  per- 
ceiving a  tree  convenient,  climbed  up  into  it  as  fast  as  he 
could.     The  lion  allowed  the  herd  of  zebras  to  go  away, 


120  The  Mission 

and  turned  his  attention  to  the  Bushman.  He  walked 
round  and  round  the  tree,  and  every  now  and  then  he 
growled  as  he  looked  up  at  the  Bushman. 

"  At  last,  the  lion  lay  down  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  and 
there  he  kept  watch  all  night.  The  Bushman  kept  watch 
also,  but  towards  morning,  feeling  very  tired,  he  was  over- 
come by  sleep,  and  as  he  slept,  he  dreamed,  and  what  do 
you  think  that  he  dreamed  ? — he  dreamed  that  he  fell  from 
the  tree  into  the  jaws  of  the  lion.  Starting  up  in  horror 
from  the  effects  of  his  dream,  he  lost  his  hold,  and  falling 
from  the  branch,  down  he  came  with  all  his  weight  right 
on  the  back  of  the  lion.  The  lion,  so  unexpectedly  saluted, 
sprang  up  with  a  loud  roar,  tossing  off  the  Bushman,  and 
running  away  as  fast  as  he  could ;  and  the  Bushman, 
recovering  his  legs  and  his  senses,  also  took  to  his  heels 
in  a  different  direction ;  and  thus  were  the  '  sleepers 
awakened,'  and  the  dream  became  true." 

"  Besiegers  retreating,  and  fort  evacuated  both  at  the 
same  time,"  cried  the  Major,  laughing. 

"  Well,  I  think  you  have  had  enough  of  the  lion  now," 
said  Swinton. 

"  No,  we  had  quite  enough  of  him  last  night,  if  you 
choose,"  replied  Alexander.  "  But  your  lions  are  not 
quite  so  near  as  he  was." 


Chapter  XV 

It  was  not  until  the  evening,  that  the  Caffres  and  Hotten- 
tots returned  with  the  cattle,  which  they  had  great 
difficulty  in  collecting  ;  two  or  three  of  the  oxen  were  not 
brought  back  till  late  at  night,  so  frightened  had  the 
animals  been  by  the  approach  of  the  lion.  In  the  after- 
noon, as  it  was  too  late  to  think  of  proceeding,  our 
travellers,  with  their  guns  on  their  shoulders,  and  accom- 
panied by  Omrah  and  Begum,  who  would  always  follow 
the  Major  if  she  was  not  tied  up,  strolled  away  from  the 


The  Mission  121 

camp  to  amuse  themselves.  At  first  they  walked  to  the 
hill  from  which  they  had  such  a  splendid  view  of  the 
valley  covered  with  elephants,  and  proceeding  to  where 
the  male  elephant  had  fallen,  found  that  his  flesh  had,  by 
the  Caffres,  the  wolves,  and  the  vultures,  been  completely 
taken  off  his  bones,  and  it  lay  there  a  beautiful  skeleton 
for  a  museum. 

As,  however,  they  had  no  room  for  such  weighty 
articles  in  their  wagons,  they  left  it,  after  Swinton  had 
made  some  observations  upon  the  structure  of  the  animal. 
Begum  would  not  go  near  the  skeleton,  but  appeared  to 
be  frightened  at  it.  They  then  proceeded  to  the  rock 
which  had  been  their  place  of  refuge  when  the  herd  of 
elephants  had  charged  upon  them ;  and  as  they  stood 
under  it,  they  were  suddenly  saluted  with  a  loud  noise 
over  their  heads,  sounding  like  quah,  quah  ! 

As  soon  as  Begum  heard  it,  she  ran  up  to  the  Major 
with  every  sign  of  trepidation,  holding  fast  to  his  skin 
trousers. 

"  What  was  that  ?  "  said  Alexander  ;  "I  see  nothing." 

"I  know  what  it  is,"  said  the  Major  ;  "it  is  a  herd  of 
baboons  ;  there  they  are  ;  don't  you  see  their  heads  over 
the  rocks  ? " 

"  Let  them  show  themselves  a  little  more,  and  we'll 
have  a  shot  at  them,"  replied  Alexander,  cocking  his  gun. 

"  Not  for  your  life,"  cried  Swinton  ;  "  you  will  be 
skinned,  and  torn  to  pieces,  if  they  are  numerous,  and  you 
enrage  them.  You  have  no  idea  what  savage  and 
powerful  creatures  they  are.  Look  at  them  now ;  they 
are  coming  down  gradually ;  we  had  better  be  off." 

"  I  think  so  too,"  said  the  Major ;  "  they  are  very 
angry  ;  they  have  seen  Begum,  and  imagine  that  we  have 
one  of  their  herd  in  our  possession.  Pray  don't  fire, 
Wilmot,  unless  it  is  for  your  life  ;  we  are  too  few  to 
make  them  afraid  of  us.  Here  they  come  ;  there  are  a 
hundred  of  them  at  least ;  let  us  walk  away  slowly — it 
won't  do  to  run,  for  that  would  make  them  chase  us  at 
once." 


122  The  Mission 

The  baboons,  some  of  which  were  of  gigantic  size, 
were  now  descending  from  the  rock,  grunting,  grinning, 
springing  from  stone  to  stone,  protruding  their  mouths, 
shaking  their  heads,  drawing  back  the  skin  of  their  fore- 
heads, and  showing  their  formidable  tusks,  advancing 
nearer  and  nearer,  and  threatening  an  instant  attack. 
Some  of  the  largest  males  advanced  so  close  as  to  make  a 
snatch  at  Omrah.  As  for  Begum,  she  kept  behind  the 
Major,  hiding  herself  as  much  as  possible.  At  last  one  or 
two  advanced  so  close,  rising  on  their  hind-legs,  that  the 
Major  was  obliged  to  ward  them  off  with  his  gun. 
"Point  your  guns  at  them,"  said  Swinton,  "  if  they  come 
too  close  ;  but  do  not  fire,  I  beg  of  you.  If  we  only  get 
from  off  this  rocky  ground  to  the  plain  below,  we  shall 
probably  get  rid  of  them." 

The  ground  on  which  they  were,  formed  a  portion  of 
the  rocky  hill  upon  which  they  had  taken  shelter  the  day 
of  the  elephant  hunt ;  and  within  twenty-five  yards  of 
them  there  was  an  abrupt  descent  of  about  four  feet, 
which  joined  it  to  the  plain.  They  had  gained  half-way, 
parrying  the  animals  off  as  well  as  they  could,  as  they 
retreated  backwards,  when  some  of  the  baboons  came 
down  from  the  other  side  of  the  rock,  so  as  to  attempt  to 
cut  off  their  retreat,  their  object  evidently  being  to  gain 
possession  of  Begum,  whom  they  considered  as  belonging 
to  them — and  a  captive. 

Their  situation  now  became  more  critical;  for  the  whole 
herd  were  joining  the  foremost  j  and  the  noise  they  made, 
and  anger  they  expressed,  were  much  greater  than  before. 

"  We  must  fire,  I  really  believe,"  said  the  Major,  when 
at  that  moment  they  heard  a  deep,  hollow  growl,  followed 
up  by  a  roar  of  some  animal,  apparently  not  very  far  off. 
At  this  sound  the  baboons  halted,  and  listened  in  silence  -y 
again  the  growl  was  repeated  and  followed  up  by  the  roar, 
and  the  baboons  at  a  shriek  given  by  one  on  the  rock, 
turned  round  and  took  to  their  heels, — much  to  the 
delight  of  our  travellers,  who  had  felt  the  peculiar  diffi- 
culty and  danger  of  their  situation. 


The  Mission  123 

"What  animal  was  that  which  has  frightened  them 
off? "  said  the  Major. 

"It  was  the  growl  of  a  leopard,"  replied  Swinton; 
"  we  must  keep  a  sharp  look-out ;  it  can't  be  far  off. 
The  leopard  is  the  great  enemy  of  the  baboons.  But 
where  is  Omrah  ?  " 

They  all  looked  round,  but  the  boy  was  not  to  be  seen. 
At  last  he  showed  his  head  above  the  foot  of  the  rocky 
hill,  where  there  was  a  descent  of  four  feet  as  we  have 
mentioned,  then  sprang  up  the  rock,  and  began  capering 
and  imitating  the  baboons  as  they  came  on  to  the  attack. 

As  they  were  laughing  at  him,  all  at  once  he  stopped, 
and  putting  his  hands  to  his  mouth,  he  gave  the  growl 
and  roar  of  a  leopard,  which  they  had  heard,  and  then 
set  off  running  away  baboon  fashion. 

"  It  was  the  Bushman,  then,  that  frightened  them  off — 
he  is  a  clever  little  fellow." 

"  And  I  am  not  sure  that  he  has  not  saved  our  lives," 
replied  Swinton ;  "  but  he  has  been  brought  up  among 
them,  one  may  say,  and  knows  their  habits  well.  If  he 
had  not  hid  himself  below  the  rock,  before  he  imitated 
the  leopard,  it  would  have  been  of  no  use,  for  they  would 
not  have  been  frightened,  hearing  the  growl  proceeding 
from  him.     I  admire  the  boy's  presence  of  mind." 

"I  thought  at  onetime  that  the  baboons  had  an  idea 
that  Omrah  was  one  of  them.  What  a  snatch  they  made 
at  him." 

"  It  would  not  have  been  the  first  time  that  these 
animals  have  carried  off  a  boy,"  said  Swinton ;  "  I  saw 
one  at  Latakoo,  who  had  lived  two  years  with  the  baboons 
which  had  carried  him  off." 

"  How  did  they  treat  him  ?" 

"Very  well  indeed;  but  they  kept  him  a  prisoner. 
When  they  found  that  he  would  not  eat  the  coarse  food 
which  they  did,  they  brought  him  other  things ;  and 
they  invariably  allowed  him  to  drink  first  at  the 
pools." 

"Well,  that  was  homage  to  our  superiority.     Confound 


124  The  Mission 

their  quahs,  I  shall  not  get  them  out  of  my  head  for  a 
week.     What  terrible  large  tusks  they  have." 

"  Yes,  their  incisors  are  very  strong.  They  often 
destroy  the  leopard  when  they  meet  it  in  numbers ;  but 
if  one  happens  to  be  away  from  the  herd,  he  has,  of 
course,  no  chance  with  such  an  animal.  Begum  did  not 
appear  at  all  willing  to  renew  her  connection." 

"  None  of  the  monkey  tribe,  after  they  have  lived  with 
man,  ever  are ;  indeed  it  is  a  question,  if  they  had  taken 
possession  of  her,  whether  they  would  not  have  torn  her 
to  pieces  immediately,  or  have  worried  her  to  death  some 
way  or  other." 

"  Well,  at  all  events,  Swinton,  you  have  been  rewarded 
for  your  kindness  to  that  poor  little  Bushman,  and  we 
have  reaped  the  benefit  of  it,"  observed  Alexander. 
"  But  here  come  some  of  the  oxen ;  I  hope  we  shall  be 
able  to  start  early  on  Monday.  The  native  CafFres  say 
that  the  wagons  cannot  proceed  much  further." 

"No,  not  further  than  to  the  banks  of  the  Umtata 
River  ;  but  you  will  then  be  not  a  great  way  from  your 
destination.     Daaka  is  the  chief's  name,  is  it  not  ? " 

"  Yes,  that  is  his  name  ;  and  if  he  is  as  supposed  to  be, 
he  is  my  first  cousin.  How  strange  it  sounds  to  me,  as 
I  look  around  me  in  this  savage  and  wild  country,  that 
I  should  be  within  forty  miles  of  a  blood  relation,  who  is 
an  inhabitant  of  it." 

"  Well,  we  shall  soon  know  the  truth  ;  but  I  must  say, 
if  it  is  only  to  end  in  a  morning  call,  you  have  come  a 
long  way  for  the  purpose,"  replied  the  Major. 

"  I  have  come  to  ascertain  a  fact,  which,  from  what 
I  now  know  of  the  country  and  its  inhabitants,  will  be 
the  source  of  anything  but  pleasure,  if  it  be  established. 
My  only  hope  is  that  it  may  prove  otherwise  than  we 
suppose ;  and  there  is  little  chance  of  that,  I  fear." 

"  At  all  events,  come  what  may,"  observed  Swinton, 
"  you  will  have  done  your  duty." 

On  their  return,  they  found  all  the  men  and  cattle 
collected,  and   that  night   they  increased   the   number  of 


The  Mission  125 

their  fires,  and  tied  the  oxen  to  the  wagons,  that  they 
might  not  be  scattered  by  the  return  of  the  lion.  The 
latter  did  not,  however,  make  his  appearance,  and  the 
night  was  passed  without  any  disturbance.  The  following 
day  being  Sunday,  the  Hottentots  were  assembled,  and 
desired  not  to  start  from  the  camp,  as  they  would  be 
expected  to  attend  to  prayers  and  divine  service ;  and  as 
no  hunting  expedition  was  proposed,  the  CafFre  warriors, 
as  well  as  the  native  CafFres,  who  came  in  with  their 
baskets  of  milk  and  other  articles  for  sale  and  barter, 
also  remained.  Before  dinner-time,  the  bell  which  had 
been  brought  with  them  from  the  Cape,  to  ring  in  case 
of  anyone  having  strayed  from  the  camp,  that  he  might 
be  guided  to  return,  was  tolled  by  Bremen,  and  the 
Hottentots  were  assembled.  Prayers,  and  a  portion  of 
the  Bible,  were  then  read. 

The  CafFre  warriors,  who  had  been  told  that  the  white 
men  were  going  to  pray  to  their  God,  were  very  silent 
and  attentive,  although  they  could  not  understand  what 
was  said ;  and  the  native  CafFres,  men,  women,  and 
children,  sat  down  near  and  listened.  As  soon  as  the 
service  was  over,  the  CafFre  head  man  of  the  warriors, 
asked  the  interpreter  to  inquire  of  our  travellers,  why 
they  struck  the  bell  ?  was  it  to  let  their  God  know  that 
they  were  about  to  pray,  and  did  he  hear  what  they 
said  ? 

Swinton  replied,  that  their  God  heard  all  that  they 
said,  and  listened  to  the  prayers  of  those  who  trusted  in 
him. 

A  great  many  other  questions  were  put  by  the  CafFres, 
all  of  which  were  replied  to  with  great  caution  by  Mr 
Swinton,  as  he  was  fearful  that  they  might  not  otherwise 
be  understood  by  the  CafFres  ;  but  they  were,  as  it  was 
proved  by  the  questions  which  followed  in  consequence. 
A  great  portion  of  the  afternoon  was  passed  away  in 
explaining  and  replying  to  the  interrogatories  of  these 
people,  and  our  travellers  felt  convinced  that  by  having 
kept   the  Sabbath   in  that   savage   land,   they  had    done 


126  The  Mission 

some  good  by  the  example ;  for  as  Swinton  truly  ob- 
served— 

"  The  missionaries  come  into  the  land  to  spread  the 
gospel  of  Christ  ;  they  tell  the  natives  that  such  is  the 
religion  and  belief  of  the  white  men,  and  that  such  are  the 
doctrines  which  are  inculcated.  Now  white  men  come 
here  as  traders,  or  are  occasionally  seen  here  as  travellers, 
and  if  the  natives  find,  as  they  have  found,  that  these 
white  men,  stated  by  the  missionaries  to  hold  the  same 
belief,  not  only  show  no  evidence  of  their  belief,  but 
are  guilty  of  sins  expressly  forbidden  by  the  religion 
preached,  is  not  the  work  of  the  missionary  nearly 
destroyed  ? 

"  I  have  often  thought  that  the  behaviour  of  the  Dutch 
Boors  towards  the  natives  must  have  had  such  an  effect ; 
indeed,  I  may  say  that  the  colony  has  been  founded  upon 
very  opposite  principles  to  those  of  '  doing  unto  others  as 
you  would  they  should  do  unto  you.'  I  believe  that  there 
never  yet  was  an  intercourse  between  Christians  nominal 
and  savages,  in  any  portion  of  the  globe,  but  that  the 
savages  have  with  great  justice  thrown  in  the  Christian's 
teeth,  that  they  preached  one  thing,  but  did  another. 
Unfortunately  the  taunt  is  but  too  true.  Even  those  who 
have  left  their  country  for  religious  persecution  have  erred 
in  the  same  way.  The  conduct  of  the  Puritans  who 
landed  at  Salem,  was  as  barbarous  towards  the  Indians,  as 
that  of  Pizarro  and  his  followers  towards  the  Mexicans. 
In  either  case  the  poor  aborigines  were  hunted  to 
death." 

On  Monday  they  started  at  daylight,  and  proceeded  on 
the  journey ;  but  they  made  little  progress,  on  account 
of  the  difficulty  of  travelling  with  the  wagons  in  a  country 
consisting  of  alternate  precipices  and  ravines,  without  any 
roads.  The  second  day  proved  to  be  one  of  greater  diffi- 
culty ;  they  were  obliged  to  cut  down  trees,  fill  up  holes, 
remove  large  pieces  of  rock,  and  with  every  precaution  the 
wagons  were  often  out  of  order,  and  they  were  obliged  to 
halt  for  repairs. 


The  Mission  127 

At  night  they  were  about  ten  miles  from  the  Umtata 
River,  and  it  was  doubtful,  from  the  accounts  received 
from  the  natives  of  the  country,  if  they  would  be  able  to 
go  further  with  the  wagons  than  to  its  bank.  But  in  the 
evening  news  was  brought  that  the  Amaquibi,  the  nation 
of  warriors  who  were  governed  by  Quetoo,  and  which  had 
come  from  the  north,  had  been  attacked  by  two  of  the 
native  tribes,  aided  by  some  white  men  with  guns  ;  that 
the  white  men  had  all  been  destroyed,  and  that  the  hostile 
army  were  marching  south. 

The  native  Caffres  appeared  to  be  in  a  panic,  and  this 
panic  was  soon  communicated  to  the  Hottentots.  At  first, 
murmurings  were  heard  as  they  sat  round  the  fire,  and  at 
last,  they  broke  out  into  open  mutiny.  Big  Adam,  with 
three  others,  came  up  to  the  fire  where  our  travellers  were 
sitting,  and  intimated  that  they  must  return  immediately, 
as  they  would  proceed  no  farther ;  that  if  it  was  decided 
to  go  on,  the  Hottentots  would  not,  as  they  had  no  inten- 
tion of  being  murdered  by  the  savages  who  were  advancing. 
Swinton,  who  could  speak  the  Dutch  language,  having  con- 
sulted with  Alexander  and  the  Major,  replied,  that  it  was 
very  true  that  the  army  of  Quetoo  was  to  the  northward  ; 
but  that  the  report  of  the  defeat  of  the  Caffres  and  of  the 
army  advancing,  was  not  confirmed.  It  was  only  a  rumour, 
and  might  all  be  false  ;  that  even  if  true,  it  did  not  follow 
they  were  advancing  in  the  direction  in  which  they  them- 
selves were  about  to  proceed  ;  that  it  would  be  sufficient 
time  for  them  to  retreat  when  they  found  out  what  were 
the  real  facts,  which  would  be  the  case  in  a  few  days  at 
the  farthest.  But  the  Hottentots  would  not  listen  to 
anything  that  he  said  j  they  declared  that  they  would 
proceed  no  farther. 

By  this  time  all  the  other  Hottentots  had  joined  the 
first  who  came  up  to  our  travellers,  and  made  the  same 
demand,  stating  their  determination  not  to  proceed  a  mile 
further.  Only  Bremen  and  Swanevelt  opposed  the  rest, 
and  declared  that  they  would  follow  their  masters  wherever 
they  chose  to  lead  them.     Alexander  now  sent  for  the 


128  The  Mission 

interpreter  and  the  chief  of  the  Caffre  warriors,  lent  him 
by  Hinza,  and  desired  the  interpreter  to  ask  the  Caffre 
whether  he  and  his  band  would  follow  them.  The  Caffre 
answered  that  they  would ;  Hinza  had  given  them  in 
charge,  and  they  could  not  return  and  say  that  they  had 
left  them  because  there  was  an  enemy  at  hand.  Hinza 
would  kill  them  all,  if  they  did  ;  they  must  bring  back  the 
travellers  safe,  or  lose  their  lives  in  their  defence. 

"  Well  then,"  said  the  Major,  "  now  we  can  do  without 
those  cowardly  fellows  who  are  no  use  to  us  but  to  eat  and 
drink ;  so  now  let  us  discharge  them  at  once,  all  but 
Bremen  and  Swanevelt." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Major,"  said  Alexander  ;  "  what  do 
you  think,  Swinton  ? " 

"  Yes,  let  us  discharge  them,  for  then  they  will  be  in  a 
precious  dilemma.  We  will  discharge  them  without  arms, 
and  desire  them  to  go  home  ;  that  they  dare  not  do,  so 
they  will  remain.  But  let  us  first  secure  their  muskets 
which  lie  round  their  fire  before  we  dismiss  them  ;  or  they 
will  not,  perhaps,  surrender  them,  and  we  may  be  in  an 
awkward  position.  I  will  slip  away,  and  while  I  am  away, 
do  you  keep  them  in  talk  until  I  return,  which  I  shall  not 
do,  until  I  have  locked  up  all  the  guns  in  the  store-wagon." 

As  Swinton  rose,  the  Major  addressed  the  Hottentots. 
"Now,  my  lads,"  said  he,  "here  are  Bremen  and  Swane- 
velt who  consent  to  follow  us ;  all  the  Caffre  warriors 
agree  to  follow  us  $  and  here  are  about  twenty  of  you  who 
refuse.  Now  I  cannot  think  that  you  will  leave  us ;  you 
know  that  we  have  treated  you  well,  and  have  given  you 
plenty  of  tobacco  ;  you  know  that  you  will  be  punished  as 
soon  as  you  return  to  the  Cape.  Why  then  are  you  so 
foolish  ?  Now  look  you  ;  I  am  sure  that  upon  reflection 
you  will  think  better  of  it.  Let  me  understand  clearly 
your  reasons  for  not  proceeding  with  us  ;  I  wish  to  hear 
them  again,  and  let  each  man  speak  for  himself." 

The  Hottentots  immediately  began  to  state  over  again 
their  reasons  for  not  going  on  ;  and  thus  the  Major,  who 
made  each  give  his  reason  separately,  gained  their  attention 


The  Mission  129 

and  the  time  which  was  required.     Before    they  all  had 
spoken,  Swinton  came  back  and  took  his  seat  by  the  fire. 

"  All's  safe,"  said  he;  "  Bremen  and  Swanevelt's  guns 
have  been  locked  up  with  the  others."  Our  travellers 
had  their  own  lying  by  them.  The  Caffre  warriors,  who 
were  standing  behind  the  Hottentots,  had  all  their  assaguays 
in  their  hands  ;  but  their  shields,  as  usual,  were  hanging 
to  the  sides  of  the  wagons.  The  Major  allowed  the  whole 
of  the  Hottentots  to  speak,  and  when  they  were  done,  he 
said,  "  Now,  Wilmot,  turn  the  tables  on  them." 

Alexander  then  got  up  with  his  gun  in  his  hand,  the 
Major  and  Swinton  did  the  same,  and  then  Alexander  told 
the  Hottentots  that  they  were  a  cowardly  set  of  fellows ; 
that  with  Bremen  and  Swanevelt,  and  the  band  of  Caffre 
warriors,  he  could  do  without  them  ;  that  since  they  did 
not  choose  to  proceed,  they  might  now  leave  the  camp  imme- 
diately, as  they  should  get  neither  food  nor  anything  else 
from  them  in  future.  "  So  now  be  off,  the  whole  of  you  ; 
and  if  I  find  one  to-morrow  morning  in  sight  of  the  camp, 
or  if  one  of  you  dare  to  follow  us,  I  will  order  the  Caffres 
to  run  him  through.  You  are  dismissed,  and  to-morrow 
we  leave  without  you." 

Alexander  then  called  the  chief  of  the  Caffre  warriors, 
and  desired  him,  in  the  presence  of  the  Hottentots,  to  give 
particular  charge  of  the  cattle,  horses,  and  sheep,  to  his 
warriors  during  the  night ;  and  that  if  anyone  attempted 
to  touch  them,  to  run  him  through  the  body.  "  Do  this 
immediately,"  said  Alexander  to  the  chief,  who  without 
delay  spoke  to  his  men,  and  they  went  off  in  obedience 
to  his  orders. 

The  Hottentots,  who  had  heard  all  this,  now  retreated 
to  their  wagon,  but  were  struck  with  consternation 
when  they  found  that  their  guns  had  been  removed ; 
for  they  trusted  to  their  guns  and  ammunition,  to 
enable  them  to  procure  food  and  protect  themselves  on 
their  return.  They  consulted  together  in  a  low  voice  ; 
they  looked  round,  and  perceived  that  our  three  travellers 
had  quitted  the  lire,  and  were  keeping  guard  with  their 

M  I 


130  The  Mission 

guns  upon  the  wagons,  to  prevent  any  attempt  of  breaking 
them  open,  on  the  part  of  the  Hottentots.  Moreover,  ten 
of  the  CafFres,  with  their  spears,  had,  since  the  breaking 
up  of  the  conference,  been  put  in  charge  of  the  wagons  by 
the  chief,  at  the  request  of  the  Major.  The  Hottentots 
now  perceived  their  forlorn  position. 

How  could  they,  without  arms  and  ammunition,  and 
without  provisions,  return  to  the  Cape,  such  a  number  of 
miles  distant  ?  How  could  they  exist,  if  they  remained 
where  they  were  ?  When  they  insisted  upon  our  travellers 
returning,  they  had  quite  overlooked  the  circumstance  that 
these  could  protect  themselves  with  the  CafFre  warriors, 
and  that  they  were  not  in  a  condition  to  enforce  their 
demand. 

After  a  long  conversation  they  did  what  all  Hottentots 
will  do  under  any  emergency, — they  lay  down  by  the  fire, 
and  fell  fast  asleep.  Swinton  having  ascertained  that  they 
were  really  asleep,  proposed  that  they  themselves  should 
retire  to  the  wagon,  and  leave  the  CafFres  on  guard,  which 
they  did  j  as  they  well  knew  that  a  Hottentot  once  fast 
asleep  is  not  easily  roused  up  even  to  "  treason,  stratagem, 
or  spoil." 

Shortly  after  break  of  day,  Bremen  came  to  them, 
stating  that  he  found  the  wagons  could  proceed  no  further, 
as  he  had  walked  on,  and  discovered  that  a  mile  before 
them  there  was  a  ravine  so  deep  that  it  would  be  difficult 
for  the  cattle  to  go  down,  and  for  the  wagons  impossible  ; 
that  at  a  distance  of  three  miles  below  he  could  see  the 
river,  which  was  also  so  embedded  in  rocks,  as  to  be 
impassable  by  the  wagons. 

The  Major  immediately  went  with  Bremen,  to  satisfy 
himself  of  the  truth  of  this,  and  returned,  stating  that 
further  progress  with  wagons  was  impossible. 

"  Well  then,  we  must  now  hold  a  council,"  said  Swinton. 
"  Of  course,  proceed  you  will,  Wilmot,  that  is  decided  ; 
the  only  question  is,  as  we  must  now  proceed  on  horse- 
back, what  force  you  will  take  with  you,  and  what  shall  be 
left  in  charge  of  the  wagons  ?  " 


The  Mission  131 

"  I  think  we  can  trust  the  Caffres,  do  not  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do ;  but  I  wish  from  my  heart  that  the 
Hottentots  had  not  rebelled ;  for  although  in  some 
respects  cowardly  fellows,  yet  with  their  muskets  they 
are  brave,  and  their  muskets  keep  the  natives  in  order." 

"  To  the  Caffres,  the  contents  of  the  wagons  would 
prove  a  temptation  ;  but  these  are  not  temptations  to  the 
Hottentots,  whose  object  is  to  get  back  safe,  and  receive 
their  wages.  Thus  we  play  them  off  against  each 
other." 

"  Here  are  all  the  Hottentots  coming  up  to  us,"  said 
the  Major ;  "  I  hope  it  is  to  make  submission  ;  it  is  very 
desirable  that  they  should  do  so  before  they  know  that  the 
wagons  proceed  no  further." 

The  surmise  of  the  Major  was  correct ;  the  Hottentots 
had  again  canvassed  the  matter  over,  and  perceiving  the 
helplessness  of  their  position,  had  come  in  a  body  to  beg 
forgiveness,  and  to  offer  to  accompany  our  travellers 
wherever  they  pleased  to  take  them. 

It  was  a  long  while  before  Alexander  would  consent  to 
receive  them  again,  and  not  until  they  had  made  promise 
upon  promise  that  he  seemed  at  last  to  be  mollified. 
Swinton  then  interceded  for  them,  and  at  last  Alexander 
consented,  upon  their  future  good  behaviour,  to  overlook 
their  conduct.  This  matter  having  been  satisfactorily 
arranged,  the  former  question  was  resumed. 

"  One  of  you,  I  fear,  must  remain  with  the  wagons," 
observed  Alexander  ;  "or  both  of  you,  if  you  please.  I 
have  no  right  to  ask  you  to  go  upon  any  wild  goose  chase, 
and  run  into  danger  for  nothing." 

"  That  one  should  remain  with  the  wagons  will  be 
necessary,"  said  Swinton  ;  "  and  I  think  that  the  Major,  if 
he  does  not  object,  is  the  proper  person.  The  party  who 
are  left  must  provide  themselves  with  food  by  their  guns  ; 
and  it  will  require  more  military  tact  than  I  possess  to 
arrange  that,  and  to  defend  the  wagons.  I  will  accompany 
you,  Wilmot,  as  I  can  speak  better  Dutch,  and  the  inter- 
preter will  not  get  on  well  without  me." 


132  The  Mission 

"Will  you  have  the  kindness  to  take  charge  of  the 
wagons,  Major,  during  our  absence  ?  " 

"  I  think,  perhaps,  it  will  be  as  well ;  although  I  had 
rather  have  gone  with  you,"  replied  the  Major.  "  I  pro- 
pose that  you  take  thirty  of  the  CafFres,  Bremen,  and  eight 
Hottentots  with  you  ;  leave  me  Swanevelt  and  the  other 
Hottentots." 

"  Yes,  that  will  do  very  well  j  we  will  leave  the  Caffre 
head  man  with  you." 

"  No ;  he  must  go  with  the  larger  portion  of  his  party  •, 
he  could  not  well  be  separated  from  them.  I  will  find  a 
proper  place  for  the  wagons,  and  stockade  myself  regularly 
in ;  that  will  be  a  good  job  for  the  Hottentots,  and  I  dare 
say  I  shall  do  very  well." 

"I  shall  not  leave  you  Omrah,  Major,"  said  Swinton  ; 
"  for,  as  we  shall  take  four  horses  with  us,  I  wish  him 
to  ride  one,  and  he  can  attend  upon  us,  as  you  have 
Mahommed." 

"  You  may  have  Begum  to  ride  the  other,"  replied  the 
Major,  "  if  you  please  ;  then  you  will  each  have  a  groom." 

"  No,  no,  it  would  be  a  pity  to  part  you  and  her ;  how- 
ever, there  is  no  time  to  be  lost,  for  if  this  great  chief  and 
warrior  Quetoo  is  advancing,  it  may  be  as  well  to  be  ready 
for  a  retreat ;  the  sooner  we  are  off,  the  sooner  we  shall 
be  back ;  so  now  to  pack  up." 


Chapter  XVI 

The  first  step  taken  by  Alexander  was  to  send  for  the 
Hottentots,  and  after  again  reproving  them  for  their 
former  behaviour,  he  asked  who  were  ready  to  volunteer 
to  proceed  with  him,  as  he  had  decided  that  he  would 
leave  the  wagons  with  Major  Henderson,  and  proceed  on 
horseback  the  short  distance  of  his  journey  which  remained 
to  be  accomplished. 

Several  of  the  Hottentots  immediately  came  forward  j 


The  Mission  133 

the  heads  of  the  mutiny  held  back,  and  thus  proved  to 
Alexander  that  the  men  who  had  come  forward  were 
persuaded  into  it  by  the  others,  and  regretted  what  they 
had  done.  He  therefore  immediately  accepted  their 
services,  and  their  muskets  were  returned  to  them. 
Alexander  then  stated  his  intentions  to  the  Caffre  head 
man,  who  selected  the  thirty  warriors  which  were 
required,  and  in  the  course  of  three  hours  everything  was 
ready  for  their  departure. 

It  was  arranged  that  in  case  of  danger  arising  to  either 
party,  they  should,  if  possible,  fall  back  to  the  newly 
established  Mission  of  Morley,  on  the  sea-coast ;  but 
otherwise,  the  wagons  would  remain  where  they  were, 
till  Alexander's  return.  Having  packed  up  all  they 
required  in  small  packages,  to  be  carried  by  the  Caffres, 
they  bade  farewell  to  the  Major,  and  set  off,  having  no 
baggage  but  what  we  have  mentioned :  for  Alexander 
would  not  be  encumbered  with  a  load  of  heavy  articles 
which  must  prevent  rapid  progress,  or  rapid  retreat  if 
necessary. 

In  two  hours  they  arrived  by  difficult  passes  at  the 
banks  of  the  Umtata  River,  which  they  crossed,  and  soon 
afterwards  falling  in  with  a  Caffre  kraal,  they  were 
informed  that  Daaka,  the  chief  whom  they  sought,  did  not 
reside  more  than  twenty  miles  distant  5  and  they  easily 
procured  a  guide  to  show  them  the  way. 

The  reports  of  the  advance  of  the  Amaquibi  army  were 
here  fully  confirmed,  and  the  natives  were  preparing  to 
leave  the  kraal  with  all  their  cattle.  It  appeared,  how- 
ever, that  at  present  the  army  was  stationary ;  the 
warriors  carousing  and  enjoying  themselves  after  the 
victory  which  they  had  gained  over  the  CafFres.  As 
these  had  been  assisted  by  white  men  and  their  guns,  the 
spirits  of  the  Amaquibi  were  raised  to  an  extraordinary 
degree,  and  they  were  intending  to  carry  their  arms  to  the 
southward,  as  soon  as  Quetoo,  their  chief,  had  somewhat 
recovered  from  his  wounds  received  in  the  late  action. 
Indeed,  it  was  the  wounded  state  of  their  chief  which  was 


134  The  Mission 

the  principal  cause  of  the  army  not  having  immediately 
proceeded  to  the  southward. 

Having  obtained  this  information,  the  travellers  resumed 
their  journey  along  the  banks  of  the  Umtata,  over  a 
country  of  surpassing  beauty,  the  deep  river  being  full  of 
hippopotami,  which  were  lying  on  the  banks  or  snorting  in 
the  stream.  They  could  not  wait  to  kill  one  during  the 
daytime,  but  promised  the  men  that  they  would  allow 
them  to  make  the  attempt  in  the  evening,  after  their  day's 
march  was  over.  Towards  sunset,  they  stopped  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  on  a  rising  ground,  and  the  Hottentots 
and  some  Caffres  were  then  directed  to  go  down  to  the 
river  in  chase  of  the  hippopotami,  as  it  was  advisable  to 
save  their  provisions  as  much  as  possible. 

Before  night  they  had  succeeded,  and  the  carcase  of  the 
animal  was  hauled  on  shore.  As  soon  as  the  party  had 
taken  as  much  as  they  required,  the  native  Caffres  carried 
off  the  remainder  of  the  flesh.  As  they  were  sitting  down 
carousing  by  the  fire  which  had  been  lighted,  the  Caffre 
head  warrior  came  up  to  the  interpreter,  and  told 
Alexander  and  Swinton  not  to  say  that  they  were  Hinza's 
warriors  if  asked  where  they  came  from.  On  being  asked 
why,  he  told  them  that  Hinza  had  married  the  daughter 
of  the  chief  of  this  country,  and  after  a  time  had  sent  her 
back  again  to  her  father,  and  that  this  had  created  ill- 
blood  between  the  tribes,  although  no  war  had  taken 
place.  Alexander  and  Swinton,  who  perceived  that  the 
advice  was  judicious,  told  him  that  they  would  not,  and 
after  partaking  of  the  hippopotamus  flesh,  they  all  lay 
down  to  repose  under  the  far-spreading  branches  of  a 
large  tree. 

The  next  morning  they  set  off,  and  after  an  hour's 
journey,  the  guide  told  them  that  they  were  at  the  kraal 
of  Daaka,  the  descendant  of  the  Europeans.  The  bellow- 
ing of  the  cattle  and  noise  of  the  calves  soon  directed  them 
to  the  spot,  and  they  entered  a  kraal  consisting  of  several 
very  wretched  huts.  On  inquiring  for  Daaka,  a  woman 
pointed  out  a  hut  at  a  little  distance,   and  as  they  dis- 


The  Mission  135 

mounted  and  walked  up,  he  came  out  to  meet  them. 
Swinton  and  Alexander  shook  hands  with  the  chief,  and 
said  that  they  were  very  glad  to  see  him,  and  that  they 
had  come  far  to  pay  him  a  visit.  The  chief  ordered  a  hut 
to  be  swept  out  for  their  accommodation,  which  they  took 
possession  of. 

"  You  have  no  idea,  Swinton,"  said  Alexander,  "  how 
much  I  am  excited  already  by  this  interview." 

"I  can  imagine  it,  my  dear  Wilmot,"  said  Swinton  -y 
**  it  is  but  natural,  for  he  is  your  kinsman  by  all  report, 
and  certainly,  although  a  CafFre  in  his  habits  and  manners, 
his  countenance  and  features  are  strikingly  European." 

"That  I  have  observed  myself,  and  it  has  fully  con- 
vinced me  of  the  truth  of  the  statement.  I  am  most 
anxious  to  examine  him — we  must  call  the  interpreter." 

The  chief  entered  the  hut  soon  afterwards,  and  took  his 
seat ;  the  interpreter  was  sent  for,  and  the  conversation 
was  begun  by  Daaka,  who,  like  most  of  the  CafFre  chiefs, 
with  the  hope  of  obtaining  presents,  stated  himself  to  be 
very  poor,  his  cattle  to  be  all  dying,  and  his  children 
without  milk.  Our  travellers  allowed  him  to  go  on  for 
some  time  in  this  manner,  and  then  sent  for  a  present  of 
beads  and  tobacco,  which  they  gave  to  him.  They  then 
commenced  their  inquiries,  and  the  first  question  they 
asked,  was  why  he  resided  so  near  the  sea. 

"  Because  the  sea  is  my  mother,"  replied  he  ;  "I  cam* 
from  the  sea,  and  the  sea  feeds  me  when  I  am  hungry." 

"In  that  reply  he  evidently  refers  to  the  wreck  of  the 
ship,"  observed  Swinton  ;  "  and  I  presume  from  the  fish- 
bones which  we  have  seen  about  the  kraal,  that  these 
Cafrres  feed  on  fish,  which  the  other  tribes  do  not,  and 
therefore  it  is  that  he  says  his  mother  feeds  him." 

"  "Was  your  mother  white  ? "  inquired  Alexander. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Daaka,  "her  skin  was  white  as  yours; 
her  hair  was  just  like  yours,  long  and  dark,  but  before 
she  died  it  was  quite  white." 

"  What  was  your  mother's  name  ? " 

"  Kuma,"  replied  the  chief. 


136  The  Mission 

"  Had  you  any  brothers  and  sisters  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  had — I  have  one  sister  alive  now." 

' '  "What  is  her  name  ?  "  inquired  S winton. 

"  Bess,"  replied  the  chief. 

"This  is  very  confirmatory,"  said  Alexander,  "my 
aunt's  name  was  Elizabeth  ;  she  must  have  called  her 
child  after  herself." 

"  Whom  did  your  mother  marry  ?  " 

"  She  first  married  my  uncle,  and  had  no  children  ;  and 
then  she  married  my  father :  both  were  chiefs,  and  I  am  a 
chief ;  she  had  five  children  by  my  father." 

A  long  conversation  took  place  after  this,  the  substance 
of  which  we  may  as  well  communicate  to  the  reader  in  few 
words.  From  the  children  of  Kuma,  supposed  to  be 
Elizabeth,  the  aunt  of  Alexander,  were  produced  a 
numerous  race  of  the  European  blood,  who  were  celebrated 
in  the  Caffre  land  for  their  courage  ;  they  were  continually 
engaged  in  war,  as  their  alliance  was  eagerly  sought,  and 
in  consequence  had  nearly  all  perished.  Daaka  himself 
was  renowned  for  warlike  exploits,  but  he  was  now  a 
very  old  man.  In  the  evening  the  chief  took  his  leave, 
and  went  to  his  own  hut. 

As  soon  as  they  were  alone,  Alexander  said  to  Swinton, 
"  I  have  now  so  far  fulfilled  my  promise  to  my  worthy 
relation  that  I  have  seen  this  descendant  of  his  child ;  but 
what  am  I  to  do  ?  An  old  man  like  him  is  not  very  likely 
to  consent  to  go  to  England,  and  as  for  his  sister  Bess,  he 
states  that  she  is  equally  infirm  j  the  progeny  of  the  rest 
of  the  family  are  scattered  about,  and  he  himself  knows 
nothing  about  them ;  to  collect  them  would  be  impossible, 
and  if  collected,  equally  impossible  to  remove  them,  for 
they  would  not  leave.  My  old  relative  fancies  in  his 
mind's  eye,  his  daughter  weeping  over  her  captivity,  and 
longing  to  be  restored  to  her  country  and  her  relations; 
still  retaining  European  feelings  and  sympathies,  and 
miserable  in  her  position ;  her  children  brought  up  by  her 
with  the  same  ideas,  and  some  day  looking  forward  to  their 
emancipation  from  this  savage  state  of  existence :  I  think 


The  Mission  137 

if  he  were  here,  and  saw  old  Daaka,  he  would  soon  divest 
himself  of  all  these  romantic  ideas." 

"  I  think  so  too  ;  but  there  is  one  thing  which  has  struck 
me  very  forcibly,  Alexander,  which  is,  if  this  Daaka  is  the 
son  of  your  aunt,  how  comes  it  that  he  is  so  old  ?  When 
was  the  Grosvetior  lost  ?  " 

"  In  the  year  1782." 

"  And  we  are  now  in  1 829.  Your  aunt,  you  stated  to 
have  been  ten  or  twelve  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  wreck. 
Allowing  her  to  marry  at  the  earliest  age,  Daaka  could  not 
well  be  more  than  forty-eight  years  old ;  and  surely  he  is 
more  than  that." 

"  He  looks  much  older,  certainly ;  but  who  can  tell  the 
age  of  a  savage,  who  has  been  living  a  life  of  constant 
privation,  and  who  has  been  so  often  wounded,  as  his  scars 
show  that  he  has  been  ?  Wounds  and  hardship  will  soon 
make  a  man  look  old." 

"  That  is  very  true,  but  still  he  appears  to  me  to  be 
older  than  the  dates  warrant." 

"I  think  his  stating  that  his  sister  was  named  Bess  is 
full  corroboration." 

"It  is  rather  circumstantial  evidence,  Wilmot :  now 
what  do  you  propose  to  do  ? " 

"  I  hardly  know  •,  but  I  wish  to  be  in  Daaka's  company 
some  time  longer,  that  I  may  gain  more  intelligence ;  and 
I  think  of  proposing  to  him  that  we  should  go  down  to 
visit  the  remains  of  the  wreck  of  his  mother,  as  he  terms 
it.  I  should  like  to  see  a  spot  so  celebrated  for  misfortune, 
and  behold  the  remains  of  the  ill-fated  vessel ;  I  should 
like  to  have  to  tell  my  good  old  uncle  all  I  can,  and  he  will 
wish  that  I  should  be  able  to  give  him  every  information." 

"Well,  I  think  it  is  a  good  plan  of  yours,  and  we  will 
propose  it  to  him  to-morrow  morning." 

"And  I  should  like  to  visit  his  sister  Bess — indeed,  I 
must  do  so.     He  says  she  is  much  younger  than  he  is." 

"  He  did,  and  therefore  I  think  his  age  does  not  corre- 
spond with  our  dates,  as  I  observed  before,"  replied 
Swinton  5  "  but  as  you  say,  you  must  see  his  sister." 


138  The  Mission 

Daaka  had  sent  an  old  cow  as  a  present  to  Alexander, 
which  was  a  very  seasonable  supply,  as  the  hippopotamus 
flesh  had  all  been  eaten.  The  next  morning,  they  proposed 
that  he  should  accompany  them  to  where  the  Grosvenor  had 
been  wrecked. 

Daaka  did  not  at  first  appear  to  know  what  they  wished, 
and  inquired,  through  the  interpreter,  whether  they  meant 
the  ship  that  was  wrecked  on  the  sea-coast,  pointing  to  the 
eastward.  On  receiving  an  answer  in  the  affirmative,  he 
agreed  to  set  off  with  them  that  afternoon,  saying,  that  it 
was  about  forty  miles  off,  and  that  they  could  not  get  there 
until  the  next  day. 

About  noon  they  set  ofF  on  their  journey,  and  as  they 
made  but  slow  progress  over  a  rugged  although  most 
beautiful  country,  they  stopped  at  night  at  a  kraal  about 
half-way.  Early  the  next  morning  they  were  led  by  Daaka, 
and  some  CafFres  who  accompanied  him,  to  the  seashore, 
and  when  they  had  arrived  at  the  beach,  it  being  then  low 
water,  Daaka  pointed  to  a  reef,  upon  which  were  to  be 
seen  the  guns,  ballast,  and  a  portion  of  the  kelson  of  a 
ship, — all  that  remained  of  the  unfortunate  Grosvenor. 

As  the  sea  washed  over  the  reef,  now  covering  and  now 
exposing  these  mementos  of  misery  and  suffering,  Alex- 
ander and  Swinton  remained  for  some  time  without 
speaking ;  at  last  Alexander  said — 

"  Swinton,  you  have  read  the  history  of  this  unfortunate 
vessel,  I  know,  for  you  asked  me  for  it  to  read.  What  a 
succession  of  scenes  of  horror  do  these  remains,  which 
from  their  solid  weight  only  have  defied  the  power  of  the 
winds  and  waves,  conjure  up  at  this  moment  in  my  mind. 
I  think  I  now  behold  the  brave  vessel  dashed  upon  the 
reefs — the  scream  of  despair  from  all  on  board  —  the 
heart-rending  situation  of  the  women  and  children — 
their  wonderful  escape  and  landing  on  shore,  only  to  be 
subjected  to  greater  suffering.  See,  Swinton,  that  must 
have  been  the  rock  which  they  all  gained,  and  upon  which 
they  remained  shivering  through  the  night." 

"It  is,  I  have  no  doubt,  from  its  position,"  said  Swinton. 


The  Mission  139 

"  Yes,  it  must  have  been ;  I  think  I  see  them  all, — men, 
women,  and  helpless  children, — huddled  together  half- 
clothed  and  suffering,  quitting  that  rock  by  this  only  path 
from  it,  and  setting  off  upon  their  mad  and  perilous 
journey  :  the  scattering  of  the  parties — their  perils  and 
hunger — their  conflicts  with  the  natives — their  sufferings 
from  heat  and  from  thirst — their  sinking  down  one  by  one 
into  the  welcome  arms  of  death,  or  torn  to  pieces  by  the 
wolves  and  hyenas  as  they  lagged  behind  the  others. 
How  much  more  fortunate  those  who  never  gained  the 
shore." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  except  the  eight 
who  reached  the  Cape,  and  the  five  that  Daaka  asserts 
were  saved,  all  the  rest  must  have  perished  in  that  dread- 
ful manner." 

Alexander  remained  for  some  time  in  painful  thought, 
at  last  he  turned  to  Daaka  and  said,  as  he  pointed  to  the 
remains  of  the  wreck — "  And  this  then  is  your  mother  ?  " 

Daaka  looked  at  him  and  shook  his  head.  "  No,  not 
my  mother  this,"  replied  he;  "my  mother  down  there;" 
replied  he,  pointing  out  in  a  northerly  direction. 

"  What  does  he  mean,  Swinton  ?  he  says  this  is  not  his 
mother." 

"  I  will  speak  to  him,  Wilmot ;  you  are  too  much 
agitated,"  replied  Swinton. 

"  Is  not  that  the  vessel  which  your  mother  was  lost  in  ?  " 
said  Swinton,  through  the  interpreter. 

"  No,"  replied  Daaka;  "  my  mother  came  on  shore  in  a 
vessel  up  the  little  river  out  there ;  I  was  a  boy  when  this 
large  ship  was  wrecked,  and  got  some  iron  from  her  to 
make  assaguays." 

"  Merciful  heaven !  what  joy  I  feel ;  I  trust  it  is  true 
what  he  says." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  Wilmot ;  I  told  you  he  was  too 
old  a  man,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  but  let  me  question  him 
farther." 

Our  readers  may  imagine  the  impatience  of  Alexander 
while  the  questions  of  Swinton  were  being  answered,  and 


140  The  Mission 

by  which  it  appeared  that  Daaka's  mother  was  lost  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Lauwanbaz,  a  small  river  some  miles  to  the 
eastward  of  the  Zemsooboo.  An  old  Caffre  who  had 
come  down  with  Daaka  now  gave  a  particular  account  of 
the  wreck  of  the  Grosvenor,  corroborating  all  Daaka's 
assertions. 

"  Were  there  none  of  the  Grosvenor 's  people  left  in  the 
country  ? "  inquired  Swinton. 

"  None,"  replied  the  old  man ;  "  they  all  went  to  the 
southward." 

"  Did  you  hear  what  became  of  them  ? " 

"  Some  lay  down  and  died ;  some  fought  the  natives 
and  were  killed ;  the  wolves  eat  the  rest ;  not  one  left 
alive  ;  they  all  perished." 

"  Were  none  of  the  women  and  children  saved  and  kept 
as  slaves  ?  " 

"  No,  not  one  j  they  had  no  meat,  no  milk,  and  they  all 
died." 

After  some  other  enquiries,  the  old  man,  who  at  first 
did  not  reply  willingly,  stated  that  he  had,  with  other 
Caffres,  followed  the  last  party  j  had  seen  them  all  dead, 
and  had  taken  off  their  clothes,  and  that  as  they  died  they 
were  buried  by  those  who  still  survived. 

"  A  better  fate,  cruel  as  it  was,  than  living  as  they  must 
have  lived,"  said  Swinton. 

"  Yes,  truly,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  you  don't  know, 
Swinton,  what  a  load  has  been  removed  from  my  mind, 
and  how  light-hearted  I  feel,  notwithstanding  this  recital 
of  their  sufferings.  My  poor  uncle  !  God  grant  that  he 
may  live  till  my  return  with  this  distinct  intelligence,  with 
the  assurance  that  he  has  no  grandchildren  living  the  life 
of  a  heathen  and  knowing  no  God.  What  a  relief  will  it 
prove  to  him ;  how  soothing  will  it  be  to  his  last  days  ! 
How  grateful  am  I  to  God,  that  I  have  had  so  happy  an 
issue  to  my  Mission !  Now,  Swinton,  we  will  return  as 
soon  as  you  please  ;  as  soon  as  we  arrive  at  Daaka's  kraal, 
I  will  take  down  in  writing  the  statement  of  these  people, 
and  then  we  will  hasten  back  to  the  Major." 


The  Mission  141 

"  And  I  daresay,"  said  Swinton  as  he  remounted  his 
horse,  '*  that  you  will  make  old  Daaka  a  more  handsome 
present,  for  proving  himself  no  relation  to  you,  than  if  he 
had  satisfactorily  established  himself  as  your  own  first 
cousin." 

"  You  may  be  sure  that  my  gratitude  towards  him  is 
much  greater  than  ever  could  have  been  my  kindred  feel- 
ings from  relationship.  I  am  so  light-hearted,  Swinton, 
and  so  grateful  to  God,  that  I  almost  wish  to  dismount  in 
my  anxiety  to  return  my  thanks  ;  but  I  do  so  in  my  heart 
of  hearts,  at  all  events." 

On  the  following  day,  they  arrived  at  Daaka's  kraal, 
and  then  Alexander  took  down  very  carefully  in  writing 
the  statements  made  by  Daaka  and  the  other  Caffres.  They 
all  agreed  on  the  one  point,  which  was,  that  the  European 
descendants  now  living  in  the  country  were  wrecked  in 
another  vessel  many  years  before  the  loss  of  the  Grosvenor, 
and  that  not  one  of  the  Grosvenor's  people — men,  women 
or  children — had  survived,  except  the  few  who  arrived 
at  the  Cape. 

Having  obtained  these  satisfactory  documents,  they 
made  a  handsome  present  to  Daaka  and  the  other  Caffres, 
and  immediately  set  out  upon  their  return  to  the  wagons. 
As  they  journeyed  back  to  the  westward,  they  found  the 
Caffres  quitting  their  huts  and  driving  away  the  cattle, 
that  they  might  not  fall  into  the  power  of  the  army  of 
Quetoo,  which  it  was  said  was  now  in  motion,  and  scatter- 
ing the  tribes  before  them.  As  our  travellers  were  not 
at  all  anxious  to  have  any  communication  with  these  savage 
invaders,  in  two  days  they  crossed  the  Umtata,  and  towards 
the  evening  were  within  sight  of  the  wagons.  A  shout 
from  the  Hottentots  and  Caffres  gave  notice  of  their 
approach.  The  shout  was  returned,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
they  were  shaking  hands  with  the  Major,  who  was 
delighted  to  see  them. 

"  I  did  not  expect  you  back  so  soon,"  replied  the  Major  ; 
"  and  as  I  perceive  that  you  are  unaccompanied,  I  presume 
that  your  Caffre  relations  would  not  quit  their  kraals." 


142  The  Mission 

"  You  shall  know  all  about  it,  Major,  very  soon ;  it 
will  be  enough  at  present  to  let  you  know  that  we  have 
nothing  but  good  news." 

"  That  I  rejoice  to  hear ;  but  it  was  well  you  came 
back  as  you  did,  for  I  have  been  making  every  preparation, 
and  had  you  not  returned  in  a  few  days,  I  should  have 
retreated ;  the  invaders  are  close  at  hand." 

"  We  know  it,  and  if  they  are  told  that  there  are 
wagons  here  well  loaded,  they  will  come  on  quickly  with 
the  hopes  of  plunder,  so  we  must  delay  no  longer,"  replied 
Alexander ;  "  to-morrow  we  will  yoke  and  set  off.  We 
can  determine  upon  our  route  as  we  are  travelling,  but  the 
first  point  is  to  retreat  from  this  quarter." 

"  Exactly  ;  the  oxen  are  in  prime  order  and  can  make 
a  long  day's  march,  and  we  know  our  country  for  some 
days  at  all  events  ;  but  enter  my  fortress,  dismount,  and 
let  us  go  into  the  tent  which  I  have  pitched.  You  shall 
then  tell  me  your  adventures,  while  Mahommed  fries  a 
delicate  piece  of  elephant's  flesh  for  you." 

"  Have  you  killed  an  elephant  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  not  without  much  difficulty  and  some  danger, 
I  assure  you ;  I  wanted  your  help  sadly,  for  these 
Hottentots  are  too  much  alarmed  to  take  good  aim,  and 
I  had  only  my  own  rifle  to  trust  to  j  but  I  have  done  very 
well,  considering,  and  I  shall  prove  to  our  commander-in- 
chief  that  I  have  supplied  the  garrison  without  putting 
him  to  any  expense  during  his  absence.  We  have  been 
feeding  upon  green  monkeys  for  three  days,  and  very 
good  eating  they  are,  if  you  do  not  happen  upon  a  very 
old  one." 

When  they  entered  the  enclosure  made  by  the  Major, 
they  were  surprised  at  the  state  of  defence  in  which  he 
had  put  it.  His  hedge  of  thorns  upon  rocks  piled  up 
was  impregnable,  and  the  wagons  were  in  the  centre, 
drawn  up  in  a  square  ;  the  entrance  would  only  admit  one 
person  at  a  time,  and  was  protected  by  bars  at  night. 

"Why,  Major,  you  might  have  held  out  against  the 
whole  force  of  the  Amaquibi  in  this  position." 


The  Mission  143 

"  Yes,  provided  I  had  provisions  and  water,"  replied  the 
Major;  "but  I  fear  they  would  soon  have  starved  me 
out ;  however,  it  was  as  well  to  be  prepared  against  any 
sudden  night  attack,  and  therefore  I  fortified  my  camp — 
now  come  in,  and  welcome  back  again." 

The  news  which  they  had  to  impart  to  the  Major  was 
soon  given,  and  he  was  highly  delighted  at  the  intelli- 
gence ;  "  and  now,"  said  he,  "  what  do  you  mean  to  do, 
Wilmot  ?  —  go  back  again,  of  course,  but  by  what 
route  ?  " 

"  Why,  Major,  you  and  Swinton  have  been  so  kind  in 
coming  with  me  thus  far,  and  I  have  been  so  successful 
in  my  expedition,  that  I  shall  now  leave  you  to  decide  as 
you  please.  I  have  effected  all  that  I  wished,  my  business 
is  over,  and  I  am  ready  to  meet  you  in  any  way  you  choose  ; 
anything  you  decide  upon,  I  shall  agree  to  willingly  and 
join  in  heartily,  so  now  speak  your  wishes." 

"Well,  I  will  speak  mine  very  frankly,"  replied  the 
Major.  "  We  have  had  some  sport  in  this  country,  it  is 
true,  but  not  so  much  as  I  could  have  wished ;  for  game 
is  rather  scarce,  with  the  exception  of  elephants  and  sea- 
cows.  Now  I  should  like  to  cross  the  mountains,  and 
get  into  the  Bechuana  and  Bushman  country,  where  game 
is  as  plentiful  as  I  believe  water  is  scarce  ;  we  can  return 
that  way,  if  you  please,  almost  as  well  as  we  can  through 
the  Caffre  country — what  say  you,  Swinton  ?" 

"  Well,  I  am  of  your  opinion.  As  Wilmot  says,  business 
is  over  and  we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  amuse  ourselves ; 
I  am  very  anxious  to  pass  through  that  country,  as  I  shall 
add  greatly  to  my  collections,  I  have  no  doubt;  but  it 
must  not  be  expected  that  we  shall  fare  as  well  as  we 
have  done  in  this ;  it  will  be  the  dry  season,  and  we  may 
be  in  want  of  water  occasionally." 

"lam  equally  desirous  of  going  through  that  country, 
where  I  hope  to  shoot  a  giraffe, — that  is  my  great 
ambition,"  replied  Wilmot ;  "  therefore,  we  may  consider 
that  we  are  all  agreed  and  the  affair  is  settled ;  but  the 
question   is,   how    shall   we   proceed   back  ?      We   must 


144  The  Mission 

return   to  Hinza's   territory  and  send  back  the  Caffres. 
Shall  we  return  to  Butterworth  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  must  depend  upon  circumstances,  and 
we  can  talk  it  over  as  we  go  along ;  the  first  point  to 
ascertain  is,  the  best  passage  over  the  mountains ;  and  it 
appears  to  me  that  we  shall  be  diverging  much  too  far 
to  the  eastward  if  we  return  to  Butterworth ;  but  the 
Caffres  will  soon  give  us  the  necessary  information." 

"  I  wonder  if  the  quarrel  between  Hinza  and  Voosani 
has  been  made  up,"  said  Alexander ;  "  for  we  must  pass 
through  the  Tamboukie  tribe  if  we  cross  the  mountains, 
and  if  there  is  war  between  them,  we  may  meet  with 
difficulty/' 

"  We  shall  hear  as  soon  as  we  have  crossed  the  Bashee 
river,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  and  then  we  must  decide 
accordingly.  All  that  can  be  settled  now  is,  that  to- 
morrow we  start  on  our  return,  and  that  we  will  cross 
the  mountains,  if  we  possibly  can." 

"  Yes,  that  is  decided,"  replied  Alexander. 

"  Well,  then,  as  soon  as  you  have  finished  your  elephant 
steak,  Wilmot,  we  will  get  out  a  bottle  of  wine,  drink 
the  first  half  of  it  to  congratulate  you  upon  the  success 
of  your  Mission,  and  the  other  half  shall  be  poured  out 
in  Dumpers  to  a  happy  return." 


Chapter  XVII 

THE   RETURN 

The  delight  of  the  Hottentots  at  the  announcement  of 
the  return  of  the  expedition  was  not  to  be  concealed ; 
and  now  that  they  knew  that  they  were  retreating  from 
the  danger,  as  they  were  further  removed,  they  became 
proportionably  brave.  We  must  not  include  all  the 
Hottentots  in  this  observation,  as  Bremen,  Swanevelt, 
and  one  or  two  more  were  really  brave  men ;   but  we 


The  Mission  145 

do  refer  to  the  principal  portion  of  them,  with  Big  Adam 
at  their  head,  who  now  flourished  and  vapoured  about, 
as  if  he  could  by  himself  kill  and  eat  the  whole  army  of 
the  dreaded  Quetoo. 

As  it  was  the  intention  of  our  travellers  to  pass  over 
the  Mambookei  chain  of  mountains,  into  the  Bushman  and 
Koranna  territory,  they  did  not  return  the  same  route  by 
which  they  came,  but  more  to  the  westward,  through  the 
territory  of  the  Tambookie  CafFres,  not  at  any  one  time 
entering  upon  the  territory  of  the  Amakosas,  the  tribe  of 
CafFres  governed  by  Hinza,  who  had  lent  them  his  warriors. 

Voosani,  the  chief  of  the  Tambookies,  was  very  friendly, 
and  had  offered  no  opposition  to  their  passage  through  a 
portion  of  his  domains  on  their  advance.  They  now  lost 
no  time,  but  continued  their  journey  as  fast  as  they  could, 
although  during  the  day  they  saw  a  great  quantity  of 
game  and  were  almost  every  night  saluted  with  the 
roarings  of  the  lions. 

In  a  week  they  found  themselves  on  the  banks  of  the 
White  Kae  River,  and  not  far  from  the  foot  of  the  moun- 
tains which  they  intended  to  pass.  Here  they  halted,  with 
the  intention  of  remaining  some  few  days,  that  they  might 
unload  and  re-arrange  the  packing  of  their  wagons,  repair 
what  was  necessary,  and  provide  themselves  with  more 
oxen  and  sheep  for  their  journey  in  the  sterile  territory  of 
the  bushmen. 

During  their  route,  the  rumours  relative  to  the  army 
of  Quetoo  were  incessant.  He  had  attacked  and  murdered 
Lieut.  Farewell  and  his  people,  who  were  on  a  trading 
expedition  in  the  interior,  and  taken  possession  of  and 
plundered  their  wagons.  Flushed  with  his  success  over 
white  people  armed  with  muskets,  Quetoo  had  now 
resolved  to  turn  his  army  to  the  southward,  and  attack 
the  tribes  of  the  Amaponda  CafFres,  governed  by  Fakoo, 
and  the  missionary  station  of  Morley,  lately  established 
near  the  coast,  between  the  St  John  and  the  Umtata 
rivers. 

To  effect  this,  Quetoo  commenced  his  ravages  upon  all 

M  K 


146  The  Mission 

the  lesser  tribes  tributary  to  Fakoo,  and  having  put  them 
to  indiscriminate  slaughter,  driven  away  their  cattle,  and 
burnt  their  kraals,  his  army  advanced  to  the  missionary 
station,  which  the  missionaries  were  compelled  to  desert, 
and  fall  back  upon  the  St  John  River. 

One  of  the  men  belonging  to  the  tribe  near  Morley 
came  to  the  caravan  where  our  travellers  had  halted,  and 
on  being  questioned  as  to  the  loss  they  had  experienced, 
cried  out,  "  Ask  not  how  many  are  killed,  but  how  many 
are  saved  :  our  wives,  where  are  they  ?  and  our  children, 
do  you  see  any  of  them  ?  " 

But  Fakoo,  the  chief  of  the  Amapondas,  had  roused 
himself  and  collected  his  army.  He  resolved  upon  giving 
battle  to  the  enemy.  He  found  the  Amaquibi  encamped 
in  a  forest,  and  he  surrounded  them  with  a  superior  army ; 
he  then  contrived,  by  attacking  and  retreating,  to  lead 
them  into  a  position  from  which  there  was  no  escape  but 
by  the  pass  by  which  they  had  entered,  and  which  he 
completely  blocked  up  with  his  own  forces. 

The  Amaquibi  could  not  retreat,  and  a  furious  conflict 
took  place,  which  ended  in  the  destruction  of  the  whole 
of  Quetoo's  army.  Quetoo  himself  was  not  present,  as 
he  still  remained  confined  with  the  wound  he  had  received 
in  the  prior  engagement,  in  which  he  had  been  victorious. 
A  portion  of  Fakoo's  army  was  sent  against  him,  and  he 
fled  with  the  loss  of  all  the  cattle  and  treasures  he  had 
collected  ;  and  thus  was  the  invading  force  at  last  totally 
dispersed  and  not  heard  of  any  more. 

This  news  was  very  satisfactory  to  our  travellers,  as 
they  did  not  know  whether  they  would  have  had  time  to 
make  their  arrangements,  if  Quetoo's  army  had  been 
victorious ;  and  it  was  still  more  pleasing  to  the 
Hottentots,  who  were  now  even  braver  than  before,  all 
lamenting  that  they  had  not  remained  on  the  banks  of 
the  Umtata  River,  where  the  combat  took  place,  that 
they  might  have  assisted  at  the  destruction  of  the 
invaders. 

It  was  towards  the  end  of  August,  before  our  travellers 


The  Mission  147 

had  made  their  preparations  and  were  ready  for  a  start. 
They  had  decided  to  try  the  pass  through  the  Mambookei 
chain  of  mountains,  to  the  eastward  of  the  one  named 
the  Stormbergen,  and  as  they  expected  to  meet  with 
some  difficulties,  it  was  decided  that  the  CafFre  warriors 
should  not  be  dismissed  till  they  had  arrived  at  the 
Bushman  territory ;  they  proposed  then  to  turn  to  the 
N.W.,  so  as  to  fall  in  with  that  portion  of  the  Orange 
River  which  was  known  by  the  name  of  the  Vaal  or 
Yellow  River,  crossing  the  Black  or  Cradock  River, 
which  is  also  another  branch  of  the  Orange  River. 

This  arrangement  was  made,  that  they  might  get  into 
the  country  more  abounding  with  game,  and  better 
furnished  with  water  than  any  other  portion  of  the  sterile 
deserts  which  they  had  to  pass  through. 

Having  as  usual  kept  holy  the  Lord's  day,  on  the 
Monday  morning  they  started  in  high  spirits,  and  with 
their  cattle  in  excellent  order.  The  passage  through 
the  ravine  was  very  difficult ;  they  had  to  fill  up  holes, 
roll  away  stones,  and  very  often  put  double  teams  to  drag 
the  wagons. 

They  made  but  ten  miles  on  the  first  day,  and  found 
the  night  cold,  after  the  heat  to  which  they  had  been 
subjected.  The  second  day  was  also  one  of  toil  and 
danger,  but  on  the  third  they  found  that  they  had  com- 
menced the  descent,  and  the  whole  Bushman  country  was 
spread  before  them.  But  the  descent  was  even  more 
perilous  than  the  ascent,  and  it  was  not  without  great 
exertion  that  they  saved  their  wagons  from  falling  over 
the  precipices. 

On  the  fourth  evening  they  had  crossed  the  mountains, 
and  were  now  at  the  foot  of  them  on  the  western  side. 
It  was  with  difficulty  that  they  collected  wood  enough 
to  make  their  fires  for  the  night,  and  the  continual  roaring 
told  them  that  they  were  now  in  the  domain  of  the  lion 
and  his  satellites. 

At  break  of  day,  they  all  rose,  that  they  might  view 
the  country  which  they  were  about  to  traverse.     It  was 


148  The  Mission 

one  wild  desert  of  sand  and  stones,  interspersed  with 
small  shrubs,  and  here  and  there  a  patch  of  bushes  j 
apparently  one  vast  dry,  arid  plain,  with  a  haze  over  it, 
arising  from  the  heat.  Our  travellers,  however,  did  not 
at  first  notice  this  change  ;  their  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the 
groups  of  quaggas  and  various  antelopes,  which  were 
strewed  over  the  whole  face  of  the  country ;  and  as  soon 
as  they  had  taken  their  breakfast,  they  mounted  their 
horses  in  pursuit.  It  had  been  their  intention  to  have 
dismissed  the  CafFres  on  that  morning,  but  the  chief  of 
the  band  pointed  out  that  it  would  be  as  well  that  they 
should  kill  some  game,  to  provide  them  with  food  for 
their  journey  back ;  and  our  travellers  approved  of  the 
suggestion,  as  it  would  save  their  sheep. 

Alexander  and  the  Major  set  off  with  Bremen,  Svvane- 
velt,  and  Omrah  on  horseback,  while  the  CafFres  on  foot 
kept  well  up  with  them.  The  other  Hottentots  were 
ordered  to  remain  with  Swinton  at  the  encampment,  as 
they  had  to  repair  the  damages  done  to  the  wagons  in 
crossing  the  mountains. 

Omrah  had  shown  himself  so  useful,  that  he  had  been 
permitted  to  practise  with  a  fowling-piece  carrying  ball, 
and  had  proved  himself  very  expert.  He  now  was  mounted 
on  the  Major's  spare  horse  ;  that,  in  case  the  Major's  was 
knocked  up,  he  might  change  it,  for  Omrah's  weight  was 
a  mere  nothing. 

The  plan  of  the  chase  was,  that  the  CafFres  should 
spread  in  a  half-circle,  and  conceal  themselves  as  much  as 
possible,  while  those  on  horseback  should  turn  the  animals 
and  drive  them  to  their  direction.  As  they  advanced  on 
the  plain,  they  discovered  what  the  haze  had  prevented 
their  seeing  at  early  dawn,  that  the  plain  was  covered  with 
a  variety  of  beautiful  flowers,  of  the  amaryllis  and  other 
tribes,  and  with  the  hills  of  ants  and  the  ant-eater's  holes, 
which  latter  were  very  dangerous  to  the  horses. 

The  sun  was  now  up  in  the  heavens  and  blazed  fiercely  ; 
the  heat  was  intense,  although  still  early  in  the  day. 
When    they  turned    their   heads    towards    the    mountains 


The  Mission  149 

which  they  had  passed,  they  were  struck  with  astonish- 
ment at  the  grandeur  of  the  scene  :  rocks  and  cliffs  in  wild 
chaos,  barren  ridges  and  towering  peaks,  worn  by  time 
into  castellated  fortresses  and  other  strange  shapes,  calling 
to  their  fancy  the  ruins  of  a  former  world.  With  the 
exception  of  a  pool  of  water  near  to  which  the  caravan 
had  halted,  not  a  vestige  of  that  element  was  to  be  seen  in 
any  direction ;  all  was  one  plain,  ending  only  in  the 
horizon,  without  a  tree,  the  line  only  broken  by  the 
groups  of  animals,  and  the  long  necks  of  the  packs  of 
ostriches  in  the  distance. 

If,  however,  the  vegetable  kingdom  was  deficient,  the 
animal  was  proportionably  abundant,  and  Alexander  and 
the  Major  were  soon  at  their  speed  after  a  troop  of  quaggas 
and  zebras,  which  they  succeeded  in  turning  towards  the 
CafFres.  As  soon  as  the  animals  had  entered  the  radius  of 
the  half-circle,  and  were  within  distance,  they  checked 
their  horses  and  opened  their  fire  upon  them ;  at  the  same 
time  the  CafFres  showed  themselves,  and  the  animals  were 
for  a  time  confounded  by  finding  themselves  so  nearly 
surrounded. 

During  their  hesitation,  and  while  they  attempted  to 
break  through  here  and  there,  and  then  turned  again, 
several  were  brought  to  the  ground  by  the  guns  of  the 
mounted  party,  till  at  last,  as  if  they  had  summoned  up 
their  resolution,  the  whole  herd,  led  by  a  splendid  male, 
burst  away  in  a  direction  close  to  the  horsemen,  and  made 
their  escape  from  the  circle  in  a  cloud  of  dust,  scattering 
the  stones  behind  them  as  they  fled. 

The  CafFres  ran  up  to  the  animals  which  lay  wounded, 
and  put  them  out  of  their  misery  by  inserting  the  point  of 
their  assaguays  into  the  spine,  which  caused  immediate 
death.  Seven  animals  were  killed,  three  zebras  and  four 
quaggas ;  and  as  Swinton  had  requested  that  they  might 
not  be  cut  up  till  he  had  ascertained  if  he  required  their 
skins,  Omrah  was  sent  back  to  bring  him  where  they 
were  lying. 

Swinton  soon  came,  and  Alexander  said  to  him,  "  Now, 


150  The  Mission 

Swinton,  let  us  know  if  you  want  any  of  the  skins  of  these 
animals  to  preserve." 

"  No,"  replied  Swinton,  "I  have  them  already;  I  just 
thought  it  possible  that  you  might  have  killed  a  zebra." 

"  Well,  have  we  not  ?  there  are  three  of  them." 

"No,  my  good  fellow,  they  are  not  of  the  real  zebra 
species,  they  belong  to  a  class  described  by  Burchell,  the 
traveller,  which  is  termed  the  striped  quagga.  The 
quagga  and  striped  quagga,  as  you  may  see,  have  the  ears 
of  a  horse,  while  the  zebra  has  those  of  the  ass.  The 
true  zebra  hardly  ever  descends  upon  the  plains,  but  lives 
altogether  upon  the  mountainous  regions ;  occasionally  it 
may  be  found,  it  is  true,  and  that  is  the  reason  why  I  came 
to  see." 

"  Are  they  good  eating,  these  animals  ?  " 

"The  quagga  is  very  indifferent  food,  but  the  striped 
quagga  is  very  passable ;  so  if  you  intend  to  save  any  for 
our  dinner,  pray  let  it  be  some  of  the  latter.  Have  you 
done  hunting  to-day  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  Major,  "  if  Wilmot  is  of  my  opinion  ; 
I  think  we  had  better  not  work  our  horses  any  more  just 
now  ;  the  plain  is  so  full  of  large  holes, — ant-eaters'  holes, 
Bremen  says  they  are." 

"  Yes,  they  are  ant-eaters'  holes,  and  very  dangerous ; 
I  have  seen  them  several  feet  deep.  If  we  do  not  start 
to-day,  I  will  ask  the  Hottentots  to  try  and  procure  one 
for  me  to-night,  as  I  wish  to  have  a  stuffed  specimen." 

"  We  do  not  intend  to  start  till  to-morrow  morning," 
replied  Alexander  ;  "  we  must  dismiss  the  CafFres  to-night, 
that  they  may  be  also  ready  to  go  home  to-morrow.  They 
will  now  have  provisions  enough." 

Our  travellers  now  rode  back  to  the  caravan,  leaving 
the  CafFres  to  bring  home  the  flesh.  As  soon  as  they  had 
dined,  the  chief  of  the  warriors  was  desired  to  come  with 
all  his  men,  and  Alexander  then  made  every  man  a  hand- 
some present,  consisting  of  tobacco,  snuff,  cloth,  knives, 
and  beads.  To  the  chief  of  the  band  he  gave  three  times 
as  much  as  the  others,  and  then,  having  delivered  to  him  a 


The  Mission  151 

very  liberal  collection  of  articles  for  their  King  Hinza, 
Alexander  told  the  chief  to  acquaint  the  king  that  he  had 
been  very  much  pleased  with  the  conduct  of  the  men,  and 
thanked  his  Majesty  for  the  loan  of  them,  and  requested 
that  his  Majesty  would  accept  of  the  packet  of  articles 
which  he  had  selected  for  him. 

He  then  thanked  the  men  for  their  good  conduct,  told 
them  to  take  all  the  flesh  that  they  wished  for  the  journey, 
and  stated  that  they  were  at  liberty  to  depart  that  evening 
or  the  next  morning,  as  they  thought  proper.  The  CafFres 
were  perfectly  satisfied  with  Alexander's  liberality,  and 
the  chief  of  the  warriors,  making  a  short  speech  in  reply, 
retired  with  his  men. 

"  Well,  I'm  very  sorry  that  these  fine  fellows  are 
leaving,"  said  the  Major. 

"  And  so  am  I,  but  I  could  not  well  detain  them,  and 
they  said  that  they  could  not  go  further  with  us  without 
the  king's  permission,"  replied  Alexander. 

"  Of  course  not,"  replied  the  Major ;  "  but  that  does 
not  lessen  my  regret  at  their  departure ;  they  have  been 
both  steady  and  brave,  as  well  as  active  and  willing,  and  I 
do  not  expect  that  our  Hottentots  will  serve  us  so  well." 

"  You  are  right  not  to  expect  it,  Major,"  replied 
Swinton;  "if  you  did,  you  would  be  miserably  dis- 
appointed. If  they  knew  now  where  we  were  going,  they 
would  desert  us.  The  only  hold  that  we  have  upon  the 
greater  number  of  them  is  their  fear ;  they  go  forward 
because  they  are  afraid  to  go  back ;  but  if  they  could  get 
hold  of  our  horses,  with  their  guns  and  ammunition,  they 
would  leave  us  as  soon  as  we  advanced  in  the  desert." 

"  Very  true,  I  fear ;  but  we  have  a  few  stanch  fellows 
among  them,  and  two  at  least  whom  we  can  depend  upon, 
— Bremen  and  Swanevelt." 

"  How  far  is  it  from  here  to  the  Black  River, 
Swinton  ? " 

"  About  forty  miles ;  not  so  much  perhaps  to  the  river's 
bed,  but  at  least  that,  if  not  more,  before  we  shall  fall  in 
with  any  water  at  this  season  of  the  year." 


152  The  Mission 

"We  must  not  fail  to  fill  our  water-kegs  before  we 
leave  this." 

"  No,  for  we  shall  have  no  water  to-night,  that  is 
certain.  We  cannot  travel  more  than  twenty  miles  over 
such  a  country  as  this  ;  for,  turning  here  and  there  to 
avoid  the  holes  and  ant-hills,  the  twenty  miles  will  be  at 
least  thirty,"  said  Swinton  ;  "  but  now  I  must  go  and  tell 
the  Hottentots  to  find  me  what  I  want ;  a  pound  of 
tobacco  will  procure  it,  I  have  no  doubt." 

"  But  I  have  mine,"  observed  the  Major,  after  Swinton 
was  gone ;  "  we  are  too  near  the  pool,  and  we  shall  be 
surrounded  with  lions  to-night ;  the  Hottentots  may  pre- 
tend that  they  will  go,  but  they  will  not." 

"  One  cannot  well  blame  them  ;  I'm  sure  a  pound  of 
tobacco  would  not  persuade  me  to  put  my  head  into  a 
lion's  mouth  j  but  I  agree  with  you,  we  are  too  near  the 
pool,  and  as  we  must  collect  the  cattle  to  secure  them 
during  the  night,  I  think  we  had  better  fill  our  water- 
kegs,  and  then  yoke  and  take  up  a  position  for  the  night 
about  half  a  mile  farther  off.  But  here  comes  Swinton, 
who  can  give  us  his  advice." 

As  Swinton  agreed  with  them,  they  yoked  the  oxen, 
and  drove  forward  about  a  mile  from  the  pool ;  they  then 
secured  them  to  the  wagons  and  lighted  large  fires  round 
the  caravan. 

The  Major  was  correct  as  regarded  the  Hottentots 
procuring  an  ant-eater  for  Swinton ;  they  would  not  leave 
the  fires,  and  the  continual  approach  of  the  lions  during 
the  night  proved  that  they  were  wise  in  so  doing.  There 
was  no  occasion  for  the  lions  to  roar ;  the  moaning  of 
Begum,  and  her  clinging  to  the  Major ;  the  trembling  of 
the  dogs,  and  the  uneasiness  of  the  cattle,  invariably  gave 
notice  of  lions  being  at  hand.  Shots  were  fired  off  during 
the  night  to  keep  them  at  a  distance,  but  otherwise  the 
night  was  passed  away  undisturbed. 

They  started  the  following  morning  at  daybreak,  and, 
at  the  same  time,  the  CafFres  took  their  departure  to  their 
own    country.     The    ground    over   which    the    caravan 


The  Mission  153 

travelled  was  stony  and  sandy  at  intervals,  and  they  had 
not  proceeded  far  before  they  again  discovered  a  great 
variety  of  game  dispersed  over  the  level  plain.  They  did 
not,  however,  attempt  to  pursue  them,  as  they  were 
anxious  to  go  on  as  far  as  possible,  so  as  to  give  the  oxen 
an  opportunity  of  picking  up  what  little  food  they  could 
during  the  middle  of  the  day,  at  which  time  the  Major  and 
Alexander  proposed  that  they  should  go  in  pursuit  of 
game.  But  before  they  had  travelled  three  hours,  they 
were  surprised  at  a  cloud  of  dust,  which  obscured  the 
horizon,  in  the  direction  they  were  proceeding. 

"  What  can  that  be  ? "  said  Alexander. 

"  I  think  it  is  springbok,"  said  Bremen,  the  Hottentot. 

"  Springbok,  why  there  must  be  thousands  and  thou- 
sands of  them." 

"I  believe  that  Bremen  is  right,"  said  Swinton  ;  "it 
must  be  one  of  the  migratory  herds  of  springboks  ;  I  have 
never  seen  them,  but  I  have  often  been  told  of  them." 

The  body  of  antelopes  now  advanced  towards  them, 
keeping  on  a  straight  path,  and  to  state  their  numbers 
would  have  been  impossible  ;  there  might  have  been  fifty, 
or  one  hundred  thousand,  or  more.  As  far  as  the  eye 
could  see  in  any  direction,  it  was  one  moving  mass, 
covering  the  whole  plain.  As  they  approached  the 
caravan,  those  nearest  huddled  on  one  side  and  occasionally 
bounded  away  with  the  remarkable  springs  made  by  this 
animal,  and  from  which  it  has  its  name,  alighting  not  upon 
the  earth,  but,  for  want  of  room,  upon  the  backs  of  its 
companions,  and  then  dropping  in  between  the  ranks. 

A  hazy  vapour  arose  from  these  countless  herds  as  they 
moved  on,  and  more  than  once  the  Hottentots,  who  were 
standing  on  the  wagons,  which  had  been  stopped  as  the 
herd  came  up  to  them,  pointed  out  a  lion  which  was 
journeying  with  the  crowds  to  feast  at  his  leisure.  The 
animals  appeared  very  tame,  and  several  were  killed  close 
to  the  wheels  of  the  wagons  for  the  evening's  supper. 
Notwithstanding  that  the  herd  moved  at  a  rapid  pace,  it 
was  more  than  two  hours  before  the  whole  had  passed  by. 


154  The  Mission 

"Well,"  observed  Alexander,  "I  can  now  say  that  I 
have  seen  no  want  of  game  in  Africa.  Where  will  they 
go  to  ? " 

"  They  will  go  directly  on  to  the  southward,"  replied 
Swinton  j  "  the  migration  of  these  animals  is  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  proofs  of  the  fecundity  of  animal  life. 
Like  the  ants,  they  devour  everything  before  them,  and  if 
we  journey  in  the  direction  they  have  come  from,  we  shall 
find  no  food  for  the  cattle  until  after  the  rains.  After  the 
rains  fall,  these  animals  will  return  to  their  former  pastures. 
It  is  the  want  of  food  which  has  brought  them  so  far  to 
the  southward." 

"  Their  track  is  evidently  from  the  north  and  eastward," 
said  the  Major  ;  "  had  we  not  better  change  our  course 
more  to  the  northward  ? " 

"  No,  I  should  think  not ;  they  have  probably  travelled 
on  this  side  of  the  Nu  Gareip  or  Black  River.  We  shall 
have  neither  water  nor  food  for  the  cattle  to-night,  and 
therefore  I  think  we  had  better  go  on  as  we  are  going,  so 
as  to  make  sure  of  water  for  them  to-morrow  at  all  events. 
It's  useless  now  stopping  to  feed  the  cattle,  we  had  better 
continue  right  on  till  the  evening  ;  we  shall  sooner  arrive 
at  the  river,  and  so  gain  by  it." 

It  was  but  half  an  hour  before  dark  that  they  unyoked  the 
tired  oxen.  Water  or  grass  there  was  none  ;  and,  what 
was  another  misfortune,  they  could  not  find  sufficient  wood 
of  any  kind  to  keep  up  the  necessary  fires  during  the 
night.  All  they  could  collect  before  dark  was  but  enough 
for  one  fire,  and  they  considered  it  better,  therefore,  that 
only  one  should  be  lighted. 

The  wagons  were  drawn  up  so  as  to  form  a  square, 
inside  of  which  were  tied  the  horses ;  the  sheep  were 
driven  underneath,  and  the  oxen  were  tied  up  outside. 
They  feasted  well  themselves  upon  the  delicate  meat  of 
the  springboks,  but  the  poor  animals  had  neither  food  nor 
water  after  their  hard  day's  journey. 

As  soon  as  they  had  supped  they  retired  to  their  wagons, 
and  the  Hottentots  remained  by  the  side  of  the  fire,  which 


The  Mission  155 

was  but  frugally  supplied,  that  it  might  last  till  morning ; 
but  that  there  were  lions  prowling  in  the  vicinity,  was 
evident  from  the  restlessness  of  the  oxen,  who  tried  to 
break  the  leathern  thongs  with  which  they  were  fastened. 

The  moon  had  just  risen,  and  showed  an  imperfect  light, 
when  they  perceived  the  bodies  of  some  animals  between 
them  and  the  horizon.  They  appeared  very  large,  as  they 
always  do  in  an  imperfect  light,  and  the  Hottentots  soon 
made  out  that  they  were  five  or  six  lions,  not  forty  yards 
distant.  The  truth  of  this  supposition  was  confirmed  by 
an  angry  roar  from  one  of  them,  which  induced  most  of 
the  Hottentots  to  seize  their  guns,  and  some  to  creep 
under  the  wagons. 

The  oxen  now  struggled  furiously  to  escape,  for  the 
roar  of  the  lions  had  spread  consternation. 

Our  travellers  heard  it  in  their  wagons,  and  were  out 
with  their  guns  in  a  minute.  At  last  one  of  the  oxen 
broke  loose,  and,  as  it  was  running  behind  its  companions, 
as  if  seeking  a  more  secure  shelter,  being  not  more  than 
three  or  four  yards  from  them,  another  roar  was  followed 
by  a  spring  of  one  of  the  lions,  which  bore  the  animal  to 
the  earth. 

The  Major  and  Wilmot  were  advancing  before  the  fire 
to  the  attack,  when  the  animal  for  a  moment  let  go  his 
prey,  and  was  about  to  spring  upon  them.  Bremen  called 
out  for  them  to  retreat,  which  they  did,  as  the  animal  ad- 
vanced step  by  step  towards  them. 

Satisfied  with  their  retiring,  the  lion  then  went  to  his 
prey,  and  dragged  it  to  a  distance  of  about  fifty  yards, 
where  it  commenced  its  meal ;  and  they  distinctly  heard — 
although  they  could  not  plainly  distinguish — the  tearing  of 
the  animal's  flesh  and  the  breaking  of  its  bones  by  the 
lion ;  while  its  bellowings  were  most  pitiful. 

They  all  now  fired  in  the  direction  where  they  heard  the 
noise — the  lion  replied  to  the  volley  by  a  tremendous  roar, 
and  rushed  up  within  twenty  yards  of  the  wagons,  so  as  to 
be  distinctly  visible.  Bremen  begged  our  travellers  not  to 
molest  the  animal,  as  it  was  evidently  very  hungry  and 


156  The  Mission 

very  angry,  and  would  certainly  make  a  spring  upon  them, 
which  must  be  attended  with  disastrous  effects. 

The  other  lions  were  also  now  moving  round  and  round 
the  camp,  they  therefore  reloaded  their  guns  and  remained 
still,  looking  at  the  lion  tearing  and  devouring  his  prey. 

"  We  must  be  quiet  here,"  said  Bremen  to  Alexander ; 
"  there  are  many  lions  round  us,  and  our  fire  is  not 
sufficient  to  scare  them  away,  and  they  may  attack  us." 

"  Would  it  not  be  better  to  fire  our  guns, — that  would 
frighten  them  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  would  frighten  the  other  lions,  perhaps, 
but  it  would  enrage  this  one  so  near  to  us,  and  he  would 
certainly  make  a  charge.  We  had  better  throw  a  little 
gunpowder  upon  some  ashes  now  and  then,  as  we  have 
but  a  small  fire,  the  flash  will  drive  them  away  for  the 
time." 

In  the  meantime  the  lion  was  making  his  meal  upon  the 
poor  ox,  and  when  any  other  of  the  hungry  lions  ap- 
proached him,  he  would  rush  at  them,  and  pursue  them 
for  some  paces  with  a  horrible  growl,  which  made  not 
only  the  poor  oxen,  but  the  men  also,  to  shudder  as  they 
heard  it. 

In  this  manner  was  the  night  passed  away,  everyone 
with  his  gun  in  his  hand,  expecting  an  immediate  attack ; 
but  the  morning  at  last  dawned,  to  the  great  relief  of  them 
all.  The  lions  had  disappeared,  and  they  walked  out  to 
where  the  old  lion  had  made  his  meal,  and  found  that  he 
had  devoured  nearly  the  whole  of  the  ox  ;  and  such  was 
the  enormous  strength  of  his  jaws,  that  the  rib-bones  were 
all  demolished,  and  the  bones  of  the  legs,  which  are  known 
as  the  marrow-bones,  were  broken  as  if  by  a  hammer. 

"I  really,"  observed  the  Major,  "have  more  respect 
for  a  lion,  the  more  I  become  intimate  with  his  feline 
majesty." 

"Well,  but  he  is  off,"  observed  Swinton,  "  and  I  think 
that  we  had  better  be  off  too." 


The  Mission  157 


Chapter  XVIII 

The  oxen  were  yoked,  and  the  caravan  proceeded  at  a 
slow  pace  to  gain  the  wished-for  river.  As  our  travellers 
walked  their  horses, — for  the  poor  animals  had  been 
without  food  or  water  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  all  idea 
of  chasing  the  various  herds  of  animals  which  were  to  be 
seen  in  their  path  was  abandoned  for  the  present — Swinton 
remarked,  "  We  are  not  far  from  the  track  of  the  Mantatees, 
when  they  made  their  irruption  upon  the  Caffres  about 
eighteen  months  back." 

"  I  was  intending  to  ask  you  for  some  information  on 
that  point,  Swinton.  There  has  been  more  than  one 
irruption  into  the  country  from  the  natives  to  the  north- 
ward. Mr  Fairburn  gave  me  a  very  fair  idea  of  the  history 
of  the  Cape  Colony,  but  we  were  both  too  much  engaged 
after  our  arrival  in  Cape  Town,  for  me  to  obtain  further 
information." 

"  I  will,  you  may  be  assured,  tell  you  all  I  know," 
replied  Swinton  •,  "  but  you  must  not  expect  to  find  in  me 
a  Mr  Fairburn.  I  may  as  well  remark,  that  Africa  appears 
to  be  a  country  not  able  to  afford  support  to  a  dense 
population,  like  Europe  ;  and  the  chief  cause  of  this  is  the 
great  want  of  water,  occasionally  rendered  more  trying  by 
droughts  of  four  or  five  years'  continuance." 

"  I  grant  that  such  is  the  case  at  present,"  observed  the 
Major;  "but  you  well  know  that  it  is  not  that  there  is 
not  a  sufficient  quantity  of  rain,  which  falls  generally  once 
a  year  ;  but  because  the  water  which  falls  is  carried  off  so 
quickly.  Rivers  become  torrents,  and  in  a  few  weeks 
pour  all  their  water  into  the  sea,  leaving,  I  may  say,  none 
for  the  remainder  of  the  year." 

"  That  is  true,"  replied  Swinton. 

"  And  so  it  will  be,  until  the  population  is  not  only 
dense,  but,  I  may  add,  sufficiently  enlightened  and  in- 
dustrious.     Then,  I  presume,   they  will   take  the  same 


158  The  Mission 

measures  for  securing  a  supply  of  water  throughout  the 
year  which  have  been  so  long  adopted  in  India,  and  were 
formerly  in  South  America  by  the  Mexicans.  I  mean 
that  of  digging  large  tanks,  from  which  the  water  cannot 
escape,  except  by  evaporation." 

"  I  believe  that  it  will  be  the  only  remedy." 

"  Not  only  the  remedy,  but  more  than  a  remedy ;  for, 
tanks  once  established,  vegetation  will  flourish,  and  the 
vegetation  will  not  only  husband  the  water  in  the  country, 
but  attract  more." 

"  All  that  is  very  true,"  replied  Swinton,  "  and  I  trust 
that  the  time  will  come,  when  not  only  this  land  may  be 
well  watered  with  the  dew  of  Heaven,  but  that  the  rivers 
of  grace  may  flow  through  it  in  every  direction,  and  the 
tree  of  Christ  may  flourish." 

"  Amen,"  replied  Alexander. 

"  But  to  resume  the  thread  of  my  discourse,"  continued 
Swinton ;  "  I  was  about  to  say,  that  the  increase  of 
population,  and  I  may  add  the  increase  of  riches,  for 
in  these  nomadic  tribes  cattle  are  the  only  riches,  is  the 
great  cause  of  these  descents  from  the  north ;  for,  the 
continued  droughts  which  I  have  mentioned  of  four  or 
five  years,  compel  them  to  seek  for  pasture  elsewhere, 
after  their  own  is  burnt  up.  At  all  events,  it  appears 
that  the  CafFre  nations  have  been  continually  sustaining 
the  pressure  from  without,  both  from  the  northward  and 
the  southward,  for  many  years. 

"When  the  Dutch  settled  at  the  Cape,  they  took 
possession  of  the  country  belonging  to  the  Hottentot 
tribes,  driving  the  few  that  chose  to  preserve  their 
independence  into  the  Bushman  and  Namaqua  lands, 
increasing  the  population  in  those  countries,  which  are 
only  able  to  afford  subsistence  to  a  very  scattered  few. 
Then  again,  they  encroached  upon  the  Caffres,  driving 
them  first  beyond  the  Great  Fish  River,  and  afterwards 
still  more  to  the  northward.  The  Bushmen  tribes  of 
Hill  Hottentots,  if  we  may  so  term  them,  have  also  been 
increased  by  various  means,  notwithstanding  the  constant 


The  Mission  159 

massacres  of  these  unhappy  people  by  the  Dutch  boors ; 
moreover,  we  have  by  our  injudicious  colonial  regulations 
added  another  and  a  new  race  of  people,  who  are  already 
considerable  in  their  numbers." 

"  Which  do  you  refer  to  ? " 

"  To  the  people  now  known  by  the  name  of  Griquas, 
from  their  having  taken  possession  of  the  Griqua  country. 
They  are  the  mixed  race  between  the  Hottentots  and  the 
whites.  By  the  Dutch  colonial  law,  these  people  could 
not  hold  possession  of  any  land  in  the  colony  j  and  this 
act  of  injustice  and  folly  has  deprived  us  of  a  very  valuable 
race  of  men,  who  might  have  added  much  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  colony.  Brave  and  intelligent,  industrious  to  a 
great  degree,  they,  finding  themselves  despised  on  account 
of  the  Hottentot  blood  in  their  veins,  have  migrated  from 
the  colony  and  settled  beyond  the  boundaries.  Being 
tolerably  well  provided  with  firearms,  those  who  are 
peaceably  inclined  can  protect  themselves,  while  those 
who  are  otherwise,  commit  great  depredations  upon  the 
poor  savages,  following  the  example  shown  them  by  the 
colonists,  and  sweeping  off  their  cattle  and  their  property, 
in  defiance  of  law  and  justice.  You  now  perceive, 
Alexander,  how  it  is  that  there  has  been  a  pressure  from 
the  southward." 

"That  is  very  evident,"  replied  the  Major. 

"Perhaps  I  had  better  proceed  to  the  northward  by 
degrees,  and  make  some  mention  of  the  Caffre  tribes, 
which  are  those  who  have  suffered  from  being,  as  it 
were,  pressed  between  encroachments  from  the  north  and 
the  south.  The  Caffre  race  is  very  numerous ;  the  origin 
of  the  general  term  Caffre,  which  means  Infidel,  and 
no  more,  is  not  known,  any  more  than  is  that  of  the  term 
Hottentot." 

"  A  proof  of  what  we  found  out  at  school,"  observed 
the  Major,  "  that  nicknames,  as  they  are  termed,  stick 
longer  than  real  ones." 

"  Precisely,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  our  acquaintance  is 
mostly  with  the  more  southern  CafFres,  who  occupy  the 


160  The  Mission 

land  bordering  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa,  from  the  Cape 
boundary  to  Port  Natal.  These  are  the  Amakosa  tribe, 
whose  warriors  have  just  left  us  ;  the  Tambookies,  whose 
territory  we  have  recently  quitted,  and  to  the  northward 
of  them  by  Port  Natal,  the  Hambonas.  These  are  the 
Eastern  Caffres. 

"  On  the  other  side  of  the  Mambookei  chain  of  mountains, 
and  in  the  central  portion  of  Africa,  below  the  tropic,  are 
the  Bechuanas,  who  inhabit  an  extent  of  country  as  yet 
imperfectly  known  to  us.  These  may  be  termed  the 
Central  Caffres. 

"  On  the  Western  side  of  the  African  coast,  and  above 
Namaqua  Land,  whose  inhabitants  are  probably  chiefly 
of  the  Hottentot  race,  we  have  the  Damaras,  who  may 
be  classed  as  the  Western  Caffres ;  with  these  we  have 
had  little  or  no  communication. 

"  All  these  tribes  speak  the  Bechuana  or  Caffre  language, 
with  very  slight  variation ;  they  are  all  governed  by  chiefs 
or  kings,  and  subdivided  into  numerous  bodies,  but  they 
are  all  Caffres.  Of  their  character  I  have  only  to  observe, 
that  as  far  as  we  have  experienced,  the  Caffres  of  the 
eastern  coast,  which  we  have  just  left,  are  very  superior 
to  the  others,  in  courage  and  in  every  other  good  quality. 
Now,  have  I  made  myself  intelligible,  Alexander  ? " 

"  Most  clearly  so." 

"  I  nevertheless  wish  that  we  were  sitting  down  in 
some  safe  place,  instead  of  travelling  on  horseback  over 
this  withering  tract,  and  that  I  had  the  map  before  me  to 
make  you  understand  me  better." 

"I  will  refer  to  the  map,  as  soon  as  I  can,"  replied 
Alexander-,  "but  I  have  studied  the  map  a  great  deal, 
and  therefore  do  not  so  much  require  it." 

"  All  these  Caffre  tribes  live  much  the  same  life ;  their 
wealth  is  in  cattle  ;  they  are  partly  husbandmen,  partly 
herdsmen,  and  partly  hunters  ;  and  their  continual  conflicts 
with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  country  prepare  them  for 
warriors.  The  Eastern  Caffres,  from  whom  we  have 
lately  parted,  are  the  most  populous  ;  indeed,  now  that  we 


The  Mission  161 

have  taken  from  them  so  much  of  their  country,  they  have 
scarcely  pasturage  for  their  cattle.  I  have  said  that  the 
Eastern  CafFres'  territory  extends  as  far  as  the  latitude  of 
Port  Natal,  but  it  formerly  extended  much  further  to  the 
northward,  as  it  did  to  the  southward,  before  we  drove 
them  from  their  territory  ;  indeed  as  far  north  as  Delagoa 
Bay  ;  all  the  country  between  Port  Natal  and  Delagoa 
Bay  being  formerly  inhabited  by  tribes  of  CafFres.  I 
believe,  Alexander,  that  Mr  Fairburn  gave  you  a  history 
of  the  celebrated  monarch,  Chaka,  the  king  of  the 
Zoolus  ? " 

"  Yes,  he  did." 

"  Well,  it  was  Chaka  who  overran  that  country  I  am 
now  speaking  of,  and  drove  out  all  tribes  who  occupied 
it,  as  well  as  a  large  portion  of  the  Bechuana  tribes  who 
inhabited  lands  more  to  the  northward.  Now  the  irrup- 
tions we  have  had  into  the  CafFre  and  Bechuana  country 
bordering  upon  the  colony  have  been  wholly  brought 
about  by  the  devastations  committed  by  Chaka.  Of  course 
I  refer  to  those  irruptions  which  have  taken  place  since 
our  knowledge  and  possession  of  the  Cape.  I  have  no 
doubt  but  that  such  irruptions  have  been  continued,  and 
that  they  have  occurred  once  in  every  century  for  ages. 
They  have  been  brought  about  by  a  population  increasing 
beyond  the  means  of  subsistence,  and  have  taken  place  as 
soon  as  the  overplus  has  required  it. 

"  The  migrations  of  the  springboks,  which  we  witnessed 
yesterday,  may  be  more  frequent,  but  are  not  more  certain 
than  those  of  the  central  population  of  Africa.  The 
CafFres  themselves  state  that  they  formerly  came  from  the 
northward,  and  won  their  territory  by  conquest ;  and  the 
Hottentots  have  the  same  tradition  as  regards  themselves. 

"  The  invasion  of  the  Mantatees,  as  they  are  called  (and 
by  the  Eastern  CafFres  Ficanij,  was  nothing  more  than  that 
of  a  people  dispossessed  of  their  property,  and  driven  from 
their  territory  by  the  Zoolus,  under  Chaka ;  and,  indeed, 
this  last  army  under  Quetoo,  which  has  been  destroyed 
within  this  month,  may  be  considered  as  invading  from  a 

M  L 


1 62  The  Mission 

similar  cause.  Having  separated  from  Chaka,  Ouetoo 
could  find  no  resting-place,  and  he  therefore  came  to  the 
southward,  with  the  intention  of  wresting  the  territory 
from  the  Caffres,  in  which  he  has  failed.  Had  he  not 
failed,  and  been  cut  off  by  the  Caffres,  he  would  have 
destroyed  them,  and  thus  made  room  for  his  own  people." 

"Of  course j  for  the  end  of  all  these  invasions  and 
migrations  must  be  in  such  a  sacrifice  of  human  life  as  to 
afford  sustenance  and  the  means  of  subsistence  to  those 
who  remain,"  observed  the  Major. 

"  Precisely  ;  and  such  must  continue  to  be  the  case  on 
this  continent,  until  the  arts  and  civilisation  have  taught 
men  how  to  increase  the  means  of  subsistence.  To  pro- 
duce this,  Christianity  must  be  introduced  j  for  Christianity 
and  civilisation  go  hand  in  hand." 

"  But  the  Mantatees  or  Ficani,  who  were  they  ?  " 

"I  have  already  said  they  were  northern  Caffre  tribes, 
dispossessed  of  their  territory  by  Chaka.  The  names  of 
the  tribes  we  do  not  know.  Mantatee,  in  the  Caffre 
language,  signifies  an  invader,  and  Ficani  also,  marauders  ; 
both  terms  applicable  to  the  people,  but  certainly  not  the 
names  of  the  tribes. 

"  I  believe,  now,  I  have  said  enough  on  the  subject  to 
allow  me  to  enter  upon  the  history  of  this  last  invasion ; 
but,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  the  heat  is  so  overpowering, 
and  I  feel  my  tongue  so  parched,  that  you  must  excuse  me 
for  deferring  this  account  till  another  opportunity.  As 
soon  as  we  are  a  little  more  at  our  ease  I  will  give  you 
the  history  of  the  Mantatees." 

"  We  are  much  obliged  to  you  for  what  you  have  told 
us,  Swinton,  and  will  spare  you  for  the  present,"  replied 
Alexander.     "  What  animals  are  those  ? — look  !  " 

"  They  are  gnoos,"  replied  Swinton.  "  There  are  two 
varieties  of  them,  the  common  gnoo,  and  the  brindled 
gnoo.  They  form  an  intermediate  link  between  the 
antelope  family  and  the  bovine,  or  ox,  and  they  are  very 
good  eating." 

"  Then,  I  wish  we  were  able  to  go  after  them.     They 


The  Mission  163 

do  not  seem  afraid  of  us,  but  approach  nearer  at  every 
gallop  which  they  make." 

"  Yes,  although  shy,  they  have  a  great  deal  of  curiosity," 
replied  Swinton.     "  Watch  them  now." 

The  animals  bounded  away  again,  as  Swinton  spoke, 
and  then  returned  to  gaze  upon  the  caravan,  stirring  up 
the  dust  with  their  hoofs,  tossing  their  manes,  and  lashing 
their  sides  with  their  long  tails,  as  they  curveted  and  shook 
their  heads,  sometimes  stamping  as  if  in  defiance,  and  then 
flying  away  like  the  wind,  as  if  from  fear. 

"They  are  safe  this  time,"  observed  Major  Henderson; 
"  but  another  day  we  will  try  their  mettle." 

"  You  will  find  them  fierce  and  dangerous  when 
wounded,  sir,"  said  Bremen,  who  had  ridden  up.  "  We 
are  not  many  miles  from  the  river,  for  the  cattle  begin  to 
sniff." 

"  I  am  delighted  to  hear  you  say  so  ;  for  then  there  must 
be  water  near.  But  the  haze  and  glare  together  are  so 
great  that  we  cannot  distinguish  above  two  miles,  if  so 
much." 

"  No,  sir,"  replied  the  Hottentot ;  "  but  I  can  see  well 
enough  to  see  them"  continued  he,  pointing  with  his 
finger  to  a  rising  ground  about  a  hundred  yards  off,  on 
the  right  of  them.  "  One,  two,  three — there  are  five  of 
them." 

"  What  are  they  ? "  said  the  Major,  looking  in  the 
direction  pointed  out.     "  I  see  ;  they  are  lions." 

"  Yes,  sir,  but  we  must  take  no  notice  of  them,  and  they 
will  not  annoy  us.     They  are  not  hungry." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Swinton ;  "  we  must  go  right  on, 
neither  stopping  nor  hastening  our  speed.  Let  the  driver 
look  to  the  oxen ;  for,  tired  as  they  are,  the  smell  of  the 
lions  is  sufficient  to  give  them  ungovernable  strength  for 
the  moment." 

"Well,"  said  the  Major,  "bring  us  our  guns,  Bremen. 
I  am  willing  to  accept  the  armed  neutrality,  if  they  will 
consent  to  it." 

The  caravan  passed  on ;  the  lions  remaining  crouched 


164  The  Mission 

where  they  were,  eyeing  them,  it  is  true,  but  not  rising 
from  their  beds.  The  oxen,  however,  either  through  fear 
of  the  lions,  or  the  scent  of  water  near,  became  more 
brisk  in  their  motions,  and  in  half  an  hour  they  perceived 
a  line  of  trees  before  them,  which  told  them  that  they  were 
near  the  bed  of  the  Nu  Gareip  or  Cradock  River. 

The  poor  animals  redoubled  their  exertions,  and  soon 
arrived  at  the  banks.  Bremen  had  ridden  forward  and 
reported  that  there  still  was  water  in  the  river,  but  only 
in  pools.  As  the  herbage  was  destroyed  on  the  side  where 
they  were,  they  would  have  crossed  the  bed  of  the  river 
before  they  unyoked,  but  that  they  found  impossible. 
The  animals  were  so  impatient  for  the  water,  that,  had 
they  not  been  released,  they  would  have  broken  the 
wagons. 

Horses,  oxen,  and  sheep  all  plunged  into  the  pools 
together,  and  for  some  minutes  appeared  as  though  they 
would  never  be  satisfied.  They  at  last  went  out,  but  soon 
returned  again,  till  their  sides  were  distended  with  the 
quantity  of  the  element  which  they  had  imbibed. 

An  hour  was  allowed  for  the  animals  to  rest  and  enjoy 
themselves,  and  then  they  were  again  yoked  to  drag  the 
wagons  to  the  other  side  of  the  river,  where  there  was  a 
sufficiency  of  pasturage  and  of  wood  to  make  up  their  fires. 

As  it  was  their  intention  to  remain  there  for  a  day  or 
two,  the  wagons  were  drawn  up  at  some  distance  from 
the  river,  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  paths  by  which 
the  wild  animals  went  down  to  drink.  The  spoors 
or  tracks  of  the  lions  and  buffaloes  and  other  animals 
were  so  abundant,  as  to  show  that  this  precaution  was 
necessary. 

As  soon  as  the  wagons  were  arranged  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, the  cattle  were  permitted  to  graze  till  the  evening, 
when  they  were  brought  in  and  secured,  as  usual,  inside 
and  round  the  wagons.  They  supped  off  the  remainder  of 
the  springbok,  which  was  not  very  sweet ;  but  the  horses 
and  men  were  both  too  much  exhausted  with  the  fatiguing 
journey  to  hunt  until  the  following  day. 


The  Mission  165 

That  night  they  were  not  disturbed  by  lions,  but  the 
hyenas  contrived  to  crawl  under  the  wagons,  and,  having 
severely  bitten  one  of  the  oxen,  succeeded  in  carrying  off 
one  of  the  sheep.  They  had  been  so  often  annoyed  by 
these  animals,  that  we  have  never  mentioned  them  j  but, 
on  the  following  morning,  it  was  found  that  the  ox  had 
been  so  seriously  injured  that  the  leg-bone  was  broken,  and 
they  were  obliged  to  destroy  the  animal. 

"  Were  the  courage  of  the  hyena  equal  to  his  strength, 
it  would  be  a  most  formidable  animal,"  observed  Swinton ; 
"but  the  fact  is,  it  seldom  or  never  attacks  mankind, 
although  there  may  be  twenty  in  a  troop.  At  the  same 
time,  among  the  CafFres  they  very  often  do  enter  the  huts 
of  the  natives,  and  occasionally  devour  children  and  infirm 
people.  But  this  is  greatly  owing  to  the  encouragement 
they  receive  from  the  custom  of  the  CafFres  leaving  their 
dead  to  be  devoured  by  these  animals,  which  gives  them 
a  liking  for  human  flesh,  and  makes  them  more  bold  to 
obtain  it." 

"  They  must  have  a  tremendous  power  in  their  jaw," 
observed  Alexander. 

"  They  have,  and  it  is  given  them  for  all-wise  purposes. 
The  hyena  and  the  vulture  are  the  scavengers  of  the 
tropical  regions.  The  hyena  devours  what  the  vulture 
leaves,  which  is  the  skin  and  bones  of  a  dead  carcase.  Its 
power  of  jaw  is  so  great,  that  it  breaks  the  largest  bone 
with  facility." 

"  Are  there  many  varieties  of  them  ? " 

"  In  Africa  there  are  four : — The  common  spotted  hyena, 
or  wolf  of  the  colonists,  whose  smell  is  so  offensive  that 
dogs  leave  it  with  disgust  after  it  is  killed  ;  its  own  fellows 
will,  however,  devour  it  immediately.  The  striped  or 
ferocious  hyena,  called  the  shard-wolf;  and  another,  which 
the  colonists  call  the  bay  wolf,  and  which,  I  believe,  to  be 
the  one  known  as  the  laughing  hyena.  There  is  another 
variety,  which  is  a  sort  of  link  between  the  hyena  and  the 
dog,  called  the  venatica.  It  hunts  in  packs,  and  the 
colonists  term  it  the  wilde  honde.     It  was  first  classed  by 


1 66  The  Mission 

Burchell,  the  traveller.  This  last  is  smaller,  but  much 
fiercer,  than  the  others." 

"  I  know  that  there  are  leopards  in  the  country,  but 
we  have  never  yet  fallen  in  with  one.  Are  they 
dangerous  ? " 

"  The  leopard  shuns  any  conflict  with  man  ;  but  when 
driven  to  desperation,  it  becomes  a  formidable  antagonist. 
I  recollect  very  well  two  Boors  having  attacked  a  leopard, 
and  the  animal  being  hotly  pressed  by  them  and  wounded, 
turned  round  and  sprang  upon  the  one  nearest,  pulling 
him  to  the  ground,  biting  his  shoulder,  and  tearing  him 
with  his  claws.  The  other,  seeing  the  danger  of  his 
comrade,  sprang  from  his  horse  and  attempted  to  shoot 
the  animal  through  the  head.  He  missed,  and  the  leopard 
left  the  first  man,  sprang  upon  him,  and,  striking  him  on 
the  face,  tore  his  scalp  down  over  his  eyes.  The  hunter 
grappled  with  the  animal,  and  at  last  they  rolled  together 
down  a  steep  cliff.  As  soon  as  the  first  hunter  could 
reload  his  gun,  he  rushed  after  them  to  save  his  friend,  but 
it  was  too  late.  The  animal  had  seized  him  by  the  throat, 
and  mangled  him  so  dreadfully,  that  death  was  inevitable, 
and  all  that  the  man  could  do  was  to  avenge  his  comrade's 
death  by  shooting  the  leopard." 

"  That  proves  the  leopard  is  not  to  be  trifled  with." 

"  No  animal  is,  when  it  stands  at  bay,  or  is  driven  to 
desperation ;  and,  in  confirmation  of  this,  I  once  witnessed 
one  of  these  animals — the  quaggas — which  being  pressed 
to  the  edge  of  a  precipice  by  a  mounted  hunter,  seized 
the  man's  foot  with  its  teeth,  and  actually  tore  it  off,  so 
that,  although  medical  aid  was  at  hand,  the  man  died  from 
loss  of  blood." 

"  One  would  hardly  expect  such  a  tragical  issue  to  the 
chase  of  a  wild  jackass,"  observed  the  Major. 

"No;  but  'in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death,'  and 
we  never  know  from  whence  the  blow  may  come.  Until 
it  occurred,  such  an  event  was  supposed  impossible,  and 
the  very  idea  would  have  created  nothing  but  ridicule 
By-the-bye,  one  of  our  good  missionaries  was  very  nearly 


The  Mission  167 

losing  his  life  by  a  leopard.  He  went  to  save  a  Hottentot 
who  had  been  seized,  and  was  attacked  by  the  leopard, 
which,  as  in  the  former  instance,  left  his  first  antagonist 
to  meet  his  second.  Fortunately,  Mr  S.  was  a  very 
powerful  man,  and  assistance  was  sooner  given  him  than 
in  the  former  instance.  Neither  he  nor  the  Hottentot, 
however,  escaped  without  severe  wounds,  which  confined 
them  for  many  weeks." 

"  Is  there  more  than  one  variety  of  leopard,  Swinton  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  there  is  the  common  leopard  and  the  hunting 
leopard ;  besides,  I  think,  two  or  three  smaller  varieties, 
as  the  tiger-cat,  and  wild  cat.  What  do  you  propose 
doing  to-day  ?     Do  you  stay  here,  or  advance,  Wilmot?" 

"  Why,  the  Major  wishes  to  have  a  shot  at  the  gnoos  ; 
he  has  never  killed  one  yet ;  and  as  I  am  of  his  opinion 
that  a  day's  rest  will  recover  the  oxen,  and  we  are  in  no 
hurry,  I  think  we  may  as  well  stop  and  provision  our 
camp  for  a  few  days." 

"With  all  my  heart.  I  am  sorry  that  the  hyena  has 
added  to  our  store,  by  obliging  us  to  kill  the  poor  ox ; 
however,  it  cannot  be  helped.  There  is  a  large  body  of 
gnoos  and  quaggas  under  that  small  hill  to  the  westward  ; 
but  there  are  better  animals  for  the  table,  when  we  get  a 
little  further  to  the  northward." 

"Which  are  those?" 

"  The  eland,  the  largest  of  the  antelope  species,  and 
sometimes  weighing  more  than  a  thousand  pounds  ; 
moreover,  they  are  very  fat,  and  very  easy  to  run  down. 
They  are  excellent  eating.  When  I  was  in  the  Namaqua's 
land,  we  preferred  them  to  any  other  food ;  but  I  see 
another  variety  of  game  on  the  plain  there." 

«  What  ? " 

Omrah  pointed  them  out.  "  They  are  either  Bushmen 
(tame  Bushmen,  as  they  are  called,  in  contradistinction  to 
the  others),  or  else  Korannas  ;  most  probably  the  latter. 
They  are  coming  right  towards  us  5  but  Mahommed  says 
breakfast  is  ready." 

By  the   time   that   breakfast  was    finished,  a  party  of 


1 68  The  Mission 

twelve  Korannas  had  joined  the  caravan.  They  made 
signs  that  they  were  hungry,  pointing  to  the  straps 
which  confined  their  stomachs.  The  interpreter  told 
them  that  they  were  about  to  hunt,  and  that  they 
should  have  some  of  the  game,  at  which  they  were  much 
pleased. 

"  Do  you  know  what  those  straps  are  called  round 
their  waist,  Wilmot  ?  "  said  Swinton. 

"  They  are  called  the  belts  of  famine.  All  the  natives 
wear  them  when  hard  pressed  by  hunger,  and  they  say 
that  they  are  a  great  relief.  I  have  no  doubt  but  such 
is  the  fact." 

"  Well,"  said  the  Major,  "I  hope  soon  to  enable  the 
poor  fellows  to  loosen  their  belts,  and  fill  their  stomachs 
till  they  are  as  tight  as  a  drum.  Saddle  the  horses, 
Bremen.  Omrah,  you  ride  my  spare  horse  and  carry  my 
spare  rifle." 

Omrah,  who  now  understood  English,  although  he 
spoke  but  few  words,  gave  a  nod  of  the  head  and  went 
ofFto  the  wagon  for  the  Major's  rifle. 


Chapter   XIX 

As  soon  as  the  horses  were  ready,  our  travellers  set  out  in 
chase  of  the  gnoos  and  quaggas,  which  were  collected  to 
the  westward  of  the  caravan.  Bremen,  Swanevelt,  and 
Omrah  were  mounted,  and  ten  of  the  Hottentots  followed 
with  their  guns,  and  the  Korannas  on  foot ;  among  the 
others,  Big  Adam,  who  had  been  explaining  to  those  who 
had  never  seen  the  gnoos  the  manner  in  which  he  used  to 
kill  them. 

The  herd  permitted  them  to  approach  within  two 
hundred  yards  of  them,  and  then,  after  curveting  and 
prancing,  and  galloping  in  small  circles,  they  stood  still 
at  about  the  same  distance,  looking,  with  curiosity  and 
anger  mixed,  at  the  horsemen.     After  a  time,  they  took 


The  Mission  169 

to  their  heels  and  scoured  the  plain  for  about  two  miles, 
when  they  again  stopped,  tossing  their  heads  and  manes, 
and  stamping  as  if  in  defiance. 

The  mounted  party  remained  quiet,  till  those  on  foot 
had  again  drawn  near,  and  the  Hottentots,  firing  their 
guns,  drove  the  herd  within  shot  of  our  travellers'  guns, 
and  three  of  the  gnoos  fell,  while  the  others  bounded  off 
to  a  greater  distance  ;  but  as  they  neared  the  caravan,  they 
again  started  back,  and  were  again  closed  in  by  the  whole 
party. 

The  Hottentots  now  advanced  cautiously,  creeping  as 
near  as  they  could  to  the  animals,  whose  attention  was 
directed  to  the  horsemen.  The  Hottentots  were  nearly 
within  range,  when  Omrah,  who  was  mounted  on  the 
Major's  spare  horse,  fastened  to  the  ramrod  of  the  Major's 
rifle  a  red  bandanna  handkerchief,  which  he  usually  wore 
round  his  head,  and  separating  quickly  from  the  rest  of 
the  horsemen,  walked  his  horse  to  where  Big  Adam  was 
creeping  along  to  gain  a  shot,  and  stationed  himself  behind 
him,  waving  the  red  handkerchief  at  the  animals.  Omrah 
was  well  aware  that  a  gnoo  is  as  much  irritated  at  a  red 
handkerchief  as  a  bull,  and  as  soon  as  he  commenced 
waving  it,  one  of  the  largest  males  stepped  out  in  that 
direction,  pawing  the  ground,  and  preparing  for  a  charge. 

Big  Adam,  who  had  no  idea  that  Omrah  was  so  occupied 
behind  him,  now  rose  to  have  a  shot,  and  just  as  he  rose, 
the  gnoo  made  his  charge,  and  Big  Adam  being  between 
the  gnoo  and  the  horse  which  Omrah  rode,  was  of 
course  the  party  against  whom  the  animal's  choier  was 
raised. 

Omrah,  as  soon  as  the  animal  charged,  had  wheeled 
round,  and  galloped  away,  while  in  the  meantime  Big 
Adam,  perceiving  the  animal  rushing  at  him,  lost  all 
presence  of  mind,  his  gun  went  off  without  effect,  and  he 
turned  tail ;  the  horns  of  the  gnoo  were  close  upon  him, 
when  of  a  sudden,  to  the  surprise  of  those  who  were 
looking  on,  Big  Adam  disappeared,  and  the  gnoo  passed 
over  where  he  had  been. 


170  The  Mission 

"  Why,  what  has  become  of  him  ? "  said  Alexander, 
laughing. 

"  I  don't  know,  but  I  think  he  has  had  a  wonderful 
escape,"  replied  the  Major  j  "  he  has  disappeared  like  a 
ghost  through  a  trap-door." 

"  But  I  see  his  heels,"  cried  Swinton,  laughing ;  "  he 
has  fallen  into  an  ant-eater's  hole,  depend  upon  it ;  that 
mischievous  little  urchin  might  have  caused  his  death." 

"  It  was  only  to  make  him  prove  his  steady  aim  which 
he  was  boasting  so  much  about,"  replied  the  Major  ;  "  but 
stop  a  moment ;  I  will  bring  down  that  gallant  little 
animal,  and  then  we  will  look  for  Big  Adam." 

But  before  the  Major  could  get  near  enough  to  the 
gnoo,  which  was  still  tearing  up  the  ground,  and  looking 
for  his  adversary,  Omrah,  who  had  put  by  the  handker- 
chief, advanced  with  the  Major's  rifle,  and  brought  the 
animal  down.  A  volley  was  at  the  same  time  discharged 
at  the  herd  by  the  Hottentots,  and  three  more  fell,  after 
which  the  remainder  scampered  away  and  were  soon  out 
of  sight. 

They  then  rode  up  to  where  Big  Adam  had  disappeared, 
and  found  him,  as  Swinton  had  supposed,  in  a  deep  ant- 
eater's  hole,  head  downwards,  and  bellowing  for  help. 
His  feet  were  just  above  the  surface,  and  that  was  all — 
the  Hottentots  helped  him  out,  and  Big  Adam  threw 
himself  on  his  back,  and  seemed  exhausted  with  fright 
and  having  been  so  long  in  a  reversed  position,  and 
was  more  vexed  at  the  laugh  which  was  raised  against 
him. 

The  gnoos  were  soon  cut  up,  and  when  the  Hottentots 
had  taken  away  as  much  as  they  required,  the  rest  of  the 
carcases  were  made  over  to  the  hungry  Korannas. 
Swinton  shook  his  head  at  Omrah,  who  pretended  that 
he  did  not  understand  why,  until  the  laughter  of 
Alexander  and  the  Major  was  joined  in  by  Swinton 
himself. 

As  they  had  pretty  well  fatigued  their  horses  in  the 
chase,  they  resolved  to  return  to  the  caravan,  and  keep 


The  Mission  171 

them  as  fresh  as  they  could  for  future  service.  They 
dined  and  supped  on  the  flesh  of  the  gnoos,  which  was 
approved  of,  and  after  supper  Alexander  said — "  And 
now,  Swinton,  if  you  feel  inclined,  the  Major  and  I 
will  be  very  glad  to  hear  your  history  of  the  Manta- 
tees." 

"With  pleasure,"  replied  Swinton.  "  The  assemblage 
of  tribes,  known  as  the  Mantatees  or  Invaders,  according 
to  the  best  authorities  we  can  collect,  inhabited  the 
countries  to  the  westward  of  the  Zoolu  territory,  in  the 
same  latitude,  which  is  that  of  Delagoa  Bay.  As  all  these 
tribes  subsist  almost  entirely  upon  the  flesh  and  the  milk 
of  their  cattle,  if  deprived  of  them  they  are  driven  to 
desperation,  and  must  either  become  robbers  in  their  turn, 
or  perish  by  hunger.  Such  was  the  case  of  the  Mantatees. 
Unable  to  withstand  the  attacks  of  the  Zoolus,  they  were 
driven  from  their  country  and  joined  their  forces  with 
others  who  had  shared  the  same  fate. 

"  Such  was  the  origin  of  the  Mantatees,  who,  although 
they  had  not  courage  to  withstand  the  attacks  of  the 
Zoolus,  were  stimulated  by  desperation  and  famine  to  a 
most  extraordinary  courage  in  the  attacks  which  they 
made  upon  others. 

"  Forming  an  immense  body,  now  that  they  were 
collected  together,  accompanied  by  their  wives  and 
children,  and  unable  to  procure  the  necessary  subsistence, 
it  is  certain  that  their  habits  were  so  far  changed  that  they 
at  last  became  cannibals,  and  were  driven  to  prey  upon  the 
dead  bodies  of  their  enemies,  or  the  flesh  of  their  comrades 
who  fell  in  the  combats. 

"  The  Bechuana  tribes,  who  are  the  Caffres  of  the 
interior,  were  the  first  assailed,  their  towns  sacked  and 
burnt,  and  their  cattle  seized  and  devoured.  They  pro- 
ceeded on  to  the  Wankeets,  one  of  the  Damara  tribes, 
who  inhabit  the  western  coast,  to  the  northward  of  the 
Namaqua  land  ;  but  the  Wankeets  were  a  brave  people, 
and  prepared  for  them,  and  the  Mantatees  were  driven 
back  with  great  slaughter.     Astounded   at  their  defeat, 


172  The  Mission 

they  turned  to  the  southward,  and  invaded  the  Bechuana 
country. 

"  At  that  time  our  missionaries  had  established  them- 
selves at  Koranna,  and  when  the  report  of  the  Mantatees 
advancing  was  brought  to  them,  the  Bechuanas  were  in  a 
great  consternation ;  for  although  finer-looking  men  than 
the  eastern  CafFres,  they  are  not  by  any  means  so  brave 
and  warlike. 

"  As  the  advance  of  these  people  would  have  been  the 
ruin  of  the  mission  as  well  as  the  destruction  of  the  tribe 
who  were  afraid  to  encounter  them,  Mr  M.,  the  mission- 
ary, determined  upon  sending  for  the  assistance  of  the 
Griquas,  the  people  whom  I  have  before  mentioned,  and 
who  had  not  only  horses,  but  were  well  armed.  The 
Griquas  came  under  their  chief,  Waterboer,  and  marched 
against  the  enemy,  accompanied  by  a  large  army  of  Bechu- 
anas, who,  encouraged  by  the  presence  of  the  Griquas, 
now  went  forth  to  the  combat. 

"  The  Mantatees  had  at  that  time  advanced  as  far,  and 
had  taken  possession  of,  Litakoo,  a  Bechuana  town, 
containing  16,000  inhabitants  j  and  I  will  now  give,  as 
nearly  as  I  can  recollect  it,  the  account  of  Mr  M.,  the 
missionary  at  Kuruman,  who  accompanied  the  Griquas  to 
propose  and  effect,  if  it  were  possible,  an  amicable 
arrangement  with  the  invaders. 

"  He  told  me  that  as  they  proceeded  with  a  small  party, 
ahead  of  the  Griqua  force,  to  effect  their  purpose,  they 
passed  by  numbers  of  the  enemy,  who  had  advanced  to 
the  pools  to  drink,  and  had  there  sunk  down  and  expired 
from  famine.  As  they  neared  the  mass  of  the  enemy, 
they  found  that  all  the  cattle  which  they  had  captured 
were  enclosed  in  the  centre  of  a  vast  multitude.  They 
attempted  a  parley,  but  the  enemy  started  forward  and 
hurled  their  spears  with  the  most  savage  fury,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  retreat,  finding  no  hopes  of  obtaining  a 
parley. 

"  The  next  day  it  was  decided  that  the  Griquas  should 
advance.      They   numbered    about    one    hundred    well- 


The  Mission  173 

mounted  and  well-armed  men.  The  enemy  flew  at  them 
with  terrible  howls,  hurling  their  javelins  and  clubs  ; 
their  black  dismal  appearance,  their  savage  fury,  and  their 
hoarse  loud  voices,  producing  a  strange  effect.  The 
Griquas,  to  prevent  their  being  surrounded,  very  wisely 
retreated. 

"  It  was  at  last  decided  that  the  Griquas  should  fire, 
and  it  was  hoped  that  as  the  Mantatees  had  never  seen  the 
effects  of  firearms,  they  would  be  humbled  and  alarmed, 
and  thus  further  bloodshed  might  be  prevented.  Many 
of  the  Mantatees  fell ;  but  although  the  survivors  looked 
with  astonishment  upon  the  dead,  and  their  wounded 
warriors  writhing  in  the  dust,  they  flew  with  lion-like 
vengeance  at  the  horsemen,  wrenching  the  weapons  from 
the  hands  of  their  dying  companions,  to  replace  those 
which  they  had  already  discharged  at  their  antagonists. 

"  As  those  who  thus  stepped  out  from  the  main  body 
to  attack  the  Griquas  were  the  chiefs  of  the  Mantatees, 
and  many  of  them  were  killed,  their  deaths,  one  after  the 
other,  disheartened  the  whole  body. 

"  After  the  Griquas  had  commenced  the  attack,  the 
Bechuana  army  came  up  and  assisted  with  their  poisoned 
arrows,  with  which  they  plied  the  enemy;  but  a  small 
body  of  the  fierce  Mantatees  sallying  out,  put  the  whole 
of  the  Bechuanas  to  flight. 

"  After  a  combat  of  two  hours  and  a  half,  the  Griquas, 
finding  their  ammunition  failing,  determined,  at  a  great 
risk,  to  charge  the  whole  body.  They  did  so,  and  the 
Mantatees  gave  way,  and  fled  in  a  westerly  direction  ; 
but  they  were  intercepted  by  the  Griquas,  and  another 
charge  being  made,  the  whole  was  pell-mell  and  con- 
fusion. 

"  Mr  M.  says  that  the  scene  which  now  presented  itself 
was  most  awful,  and  the  state  of  suspense  most  cruel. 
The  undulating  country  around  was  covered  with  warriors 
— Griquas,  Mantatees,  and  Bechuanas,  all  in  motion — so 
that  it  was  impossible  to  say  who  were  enemies  and  who 
were  friends.     Clouds  of  dust  rose   from   the   immense 


HHiaHM»M>MH 


174  The  Mission 

masses,  some  flying,  others  pursuing  ;  and  to  their  screams 
and  yells  were  added  the  bellowing  of  the  oxen,  the  shouts 
of  the  yet  unvanquished  warriors,  the  groans  of  the  dying, 
and  the  wails  of  women  and  of  children.  At  last  the 
enemy  retreated  to  the  town,  which  they  set  in  flames,  to 
add  to  the  horror  of  the  scene. 

"  Then  another  desperate  struggle  ensued ;  the  Man- 
tatees  attempted  to  enclose  the  Griquas  in  the  burning 
town,  but  not  succeeding,  they  fled  precipitately.  Strange 
to  say,  the  Mantatee  forces  were  divided  into  two  parts, 
and  during  the  time  that  the  Griquas  engaged  the  one, 
the  other  remained  in  the  town,  having  such  confidence 
in  the  former,  that  they  did  not  come  to  their  assistance. 

"  When  the  town  was  set  on  fire,  both  armies  united, 
and  retreated  together  to  the  northward,  in  a  body  of  not 
less  than  40,000  warriors.  As  soon  as  the  Mantatees 
retreated,  the  Bechuanas  commenced  the  work  of  slaughter. 
Women  and  children  were  butchered  without  mercy ;  but 
as  for  the  wounded  Mantatees,  it  appeared  as  if  nothing 
would  make  them  yield.  There  were  many  instances  of 
an  individual  being  surrounded  by  fifty  Bechuanas,  but 
as  long  as  life  remained  he  fought. 

"  Mr  M.  says  that  he  saw  more  than  one  instance  of 
a  Mantatee  fighting  wildly  against  numbers  with  ten  or 
twelve  arrows  and  spears  pierced  in  his  body.  Struggling 
with  death,  the  men  would  rally,  raise  themselves  from 
the  ground,  discharge  their  weapons,  and  fall  dead,  their 
revengeful  and  hostile  spirit  only  ceasing  when  life  was 
extinct." 

"  And  yet  these  same  people  permitted  their  own 
country  to  be  taken  from  them  by  the  Zoolus." 

"Yes,  it  was  so;  but  want  and  necessity  had  turned 
them  into  desperate  warriors." 

"  I  wonder  they  never  thought  of  going  back  and 
recovering  their  own  country.  They  would  have  been 
a  match  for  the  Zoolus.  Is  that  the  end  of  their  history, 
Swinton  ? " 

"  No,  not  quite.     But  perhaps  you  are  tired  ?  " 


The  Mission  175 

"  Oh,  no.     Pray  go  on." 

"  The  Mantatees,  although  defeated  by  the  Griquas, 
soon  recovered  their  courage,  and  intelligence  came  that 
they  were  about  to  make  a  descent  upon  Kuruman,  where 
the  missionaries  had  their  station.  The  Mantatees  having 
been  informed  that  the  Griquas  had  gone  home,  now 
determined  to  revenge  themselves  upon  the  Bechuanas, 
whom  they  considered  but  as  the  dust  under  their  feet. 

"  On  this  information,  Mr  M.  wrote  to  Water boer, 
who  commanded  the  Griquas,  requesting  his  immediate 
return ;  but  Waterboer  replied  that  an  immense  body  of 
Mantatees  were  coming  down  upon  the  Griquas  by  the 
Val  or  Yellow  River,  and  that  they  were  forced  to  remain, 
to  defend  their  own  property,  advising  Mr  M.  to  retreat 
with  his  family  to  the  Griqua  town,  and  put  themselves 
under  their  protection. 

"  As  they  could  no  longer  remain,  the  mission  station 
was  abandoned,  and  the  missionaries,  with  their  wives 
and  families,  retreated  to  Griqua  town.  They  had  not, 
however,  been  long  at  Griqua  town  before  news  arrived 
that  both  the  bodies  of  Mantatees  had  altered  their  routes. 
One  portion  of  them  went  eastward,  towards  the  country 
from  which  they  had  been  driven  by  the  Zoolus,  and 
another,  it  appears,  took  possession  of  the  country  near 
the  sources  of  the  Orange  River,  where  for  many  years 
they  carried  on  a  predatory  warfare  with  the  tribes  in 
that  district.  At  last  a  portion  of  them  were  incorporated, 
and  settled  down  on  that  part  which  is  now  known  as  the 
Mantatee  new  country ;  the  remainder  made  an  irruption 
into  the  Eastern  Caffre  country,  where  they  were  known 
as  the  Ficani." 

"  And  what  became  of  them  ?  " 

"  They  defeated  one  or  two  of  the  Caffre  chiefs,  and 
the  Caffres  implored  the  assistance  of  the  English  colonists, 
which  was  granted,  and  a  large  armed  force  was  sent  out 
against  the  invaders.  They  were  found  located,  for  they 
had  built  a  town  near  the  sources  of  the  Umtata  River. 
The  Caffres  joined  with  all  their   forces,  and  the  Ficani 


_.^--J-~ 


176  The  Mission 

were  surprised.  A  horrid  slaughter  took  place ;  muskets, 
artillery,  and  congreve  rockets  were  poured  upon  the 
unfortunate  wretches,  who  were  hemmed  in  on  all  sides 
by  the  Caffres,  and  the  unfortunate  Ficani  may  be  said 
to  have  been  exterminated,  for  the  Caffres  spared  neither 
man,  woman,  nor  child.  Such  is  the  history  of  the 
Mantatees ;  their  destruction  was  horrible,  but  perhaps 
unavoidable." 

"Very  true,"  observed  Alexander;  "I  cannot  help 
thinking  that  desolating  contests  like  these  are  permitted 
by  a  controlling  Providence,  as  chastisements,  yet  with 
a  gracious  end ;  for,  surely  it  was  better  that  they  should 
meet  with  immediate  death  than  linger  till  famine  put  an 
end  to  their  misery.  This  is  certain,  that  they  must  have 
been  destroyed,  or  others  destroyed  to  make  room  for 
them.  In  either  case  a  great  sacrifice  of  life  was  to  be 
incurred.  War,  dreadful  as  it  is  in  detail,  appears  to  be 
one  of  the  necessary  evils  of  human  existence,  and  a  means 
by  which  we  do  not  increase  so  rapidly  as  to  devour  each 
other. 

"  I  don't  know  whether  you  have  made  the  observation, 
but  it  appears  to  me  the  plague  and  cholera  are  almost 
necessary  in  the  countries  where  they  break  out ;  and  it 
is  very  remarkable  that  the  latter  disease  never  made  its 
appearance  in  Europe  (at  least  not  for  centuries,  I  may 
say)  until  after  peace  had  been  established,  and  the  increase 
of  population  was  so  rapid. 

"During  the  many  years  that  Europe  was  devastated 
and  the  population  thinned  by  war,  we  had  no  cholera, 
and  but  little  of  one  or  two  other  epidemics  which  have 
since  been  very  fatal.  What  I  mean  to  infer  is,  that  the 
hand  of  Providence  may  be  seen  in  all  this.  Thus  san- 
guinary wars,  and  the  desolating  ravages  of  disease,  which 
are  in  themselves  afflictive  visitations,  and,  probably, 
chastisements  for  national  sins,  may,  nevertheless,  have 
the  effect,  in  some  cases,  of  preventing  the  miseries  which 
result  from  an  undue  increase  of  population." 

"  You    may    be    quite    right,    Alexander,"    observed 


The  Mission  177 

Swinton  ;  "  the  ways  of  Heaven  are  inscrutably  mysterious, 
and  when  we  offer  up  prayers  for  the  removal  of  what  may 
appear  to  be  a  heavy  calamity,  we  may  be  deprecating  that 
which  in  the  end  may  prove  a  mercy." 

"  One  thing  I  could  not  help  remarking  in  your  narrative, 
Swinton,"  observed  the  Major,  "which  is  the  position  of 
the  missionaries  during  this  scene  of  terror.  You  passed 
it  slightly  over,  but  it  must  have  been  most  trying." 

"  Most  surely  it  was." 

"  And  yet  I  have  not  only  read  but  heard  much  said 
against  them,  and  strong  opposition  made  to  subscriptions 
for  their  support." 

"  I  grant  it,  but  it  is  because  people  know  that  a  great 
deal  of  money  has  been  subscribed  and  do  not  know  the  uses 
to  which  it  is  applied.  They  hear  Reports  read,  and  find 
perhaps  that  the  light  of  the  Gospel  has  but  as  yet 
glimmered  in  one  place  or  another ;  that  in  other  places, 
all  labour  has  hitherto  been  thrown  away.  They  forget 
that  it  is  the  grain  of  mustard-seed  which  is  to  become  a 
great  tree  and  spread  its  branches — they  wish  for  im- 
moderate returns,  and  are  therefore  disappointed.  Of 
course  I  cannot  give  an  opinion  as  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  missions  are  conducted  in  other  countries,  but  as  I 
have  visited  most  of  the  missions  in  these  parts,  I  can 
honestly  assert,  and  I  think  you  have  already  yourselves 
seen  enough  to  agree  with  me,  that  the  money  entrusted  to 
the  societies  is  not  thrown  away  or  lavishly  expended  ;  the 
missionaries  labour  with  their  own  hands,  and  almost  pro- 
vide for  their  own  support." 

"  There  I  agree  with  you,  Swinton,"  replied  Alexander, 
"  but  what  are  the  objections  raised  against  them  ?  for  now 
that  I  have  seen  them  with  my  own  eyes,  I  cannot  imagine 
what  they  can  be." 

"  The  objections  which  I  have  heard  and  have  so  often 
attempted  to  refute  are,  that  the  generality  of  missionaries 
are  a  fanatical  class  of  men,  who  are  more  anxious  to 
inculcate  the  peculiar  tenets  of  their  own  sects  and  deno- 
minations than  the  religion  of  our  Saviour — that  most  of 

M  M 


•■  ■■    - 


178  The  Mission 

them  are  uneducated  and  vulgar  men — many  of  them  very 
intemperate  and  very  injudicious — some  few  of  them  of 
bad  moral  character,  and  that  their  exertions,  if  they  have 
used  them — whether  to  civilise  or  to  christianise  the 
people  among  whom  they  are  sent — have  not  been  followed 
by  any  commensurate  results." 

"  And  now  let  us  have  your  replies  to  these  many 
objections." 

"It  is  no  doubt  true  that  the  missionaries  who  are 
labouring  among  the  savages  of  the  interior  are,  many  if 
not  most  of  them,  people  of  limited  education.  Indeed, 
the  major  portion  of  them  have  been  brought  up  as 
mechanics.  But  I  much  question  whether  men  of  higher 
attainments  and  more  cultivated  minds  would  be  better 
adapted  to  meet  the  capacities  of  unintellectual  barbarians. 
A  highly  educated  man  may  be  appreciated  among  those 
who  are  educated  themselves ;  but  how  can  he  be  appreci- 
ated by  the  savage  ?  On  the  contrary,  the  savage  looks 
with  much  more  respect  upon  a  man  who  can  forge  iron, 
repair  his  weapons,  and  excite  his  astonishment  by  his 
cunning  workmanship  ;  for  then  the  savage  perceives  and 
acknowledges  his  superiority,  which  in  the  man  of  intellect 
he  would  never  discover. 

"  Besides,  admitting  that  it  would  be  preferable  to 
employ  persons  of  higher  mental  attainments,  where  are 
they  to  be  found  ?  Could  you  expect,  when  so  many 
labourers  are  required  in  the  vineyard,  a  sufficient  number 
of  volunteers  among  the  young  men  brought  up  at  the 
universities  ?  Would  they  be  able  to  submit  to  those 
privations,  and  incur  those  hardships  to  which  the  African 
missionaries  are  exposed  ?  Would  they  be  able  to  work 
hard,  and  labour  for  their  daily  bread ;  or  be  willing  to 
encounter  such  toil  and  such  danger  as  must  be  encountered 
by  those  who  are  sent  here  ?  I  fear  not.  And  allow  me 
here  to  remark,  that  at  the  first  preaching  of  Christianity 
it  was  not  talented  and  educated  men  who  were  selected 
by  our  Saviour ;  out  of  the  twelve,  the  Apostle  Paul  was 
the  only  one  who  had  such  claims. 


The  Mission  179 

"  If  we  had  beheld  the  Galilean  fishermen  mending 
their  nets,  should  we  have  ever  imagined  that  those 
humble  labourers  were  to  be  the  people  who  should  after- 
wards regenerate  the  world  ? — should  overthrow  the 
idolatries  and  crumble  the  superstitions  of  ancient  empires 
and  kingdoms  ? — and  that  what  they, — uneducated,  but, 
we  admit,  divinely  inspired  and  supported, — had  taught, 
should  be  joyfully  received,  as  it  is  now,  we  may  say,  from 
the  rising  to  the  setting  of  the  sun,  to  the  utmost 
boundaries  of  the  earth  ?  " 

"Most  truly  and  most  admirably  argued,  Swinton," 
replied  Alexander.  "  The  Almighty,  as  if  to  prove  how 
insignificant  in  his  sight  is  all  human  power,  has  often 
made  use  of  the  meanest  instruments  to  accomplish  the 
greatest  ends.  "Who  knows  but  that  even  our  keeping  holy 
the  Sabbath-day  in  the  desert  may  be  productive  of  some 
good,  and  be  the  humble  means  of  advancing  the  Divine 
cause  ?  We  must  ever  bear  in  mind  the  counsel,  '  In  the 
morning  sow  thy  seed,  and  in  the  evening  withhold  not  thy 
hand,  for  thou  knowest  not  whether  shall  prosper,  either 
this  or  that,  or  whether  they  both  shall  be  alike 
good.'" 

"  Surely  so,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  the  natives  consider  us 
as  a  superior  race  5  they  see  our  worship,  and  they  are  led 
to  think  that  must  be  right  which  they  perceive  is  done  by 
those  to  whom  they  look  up  as  their  superiors.  It  may 
induce  them  to  enquire  and  to  receive  information — event- 
ually to  be  enrolled  among  the  followers  of  our  Saviour. 
It  is,  however,  not  to  be  denied  that  in  some  few  instances 
persons  have  been  chosen  for  the  office  of  missionaries  who 
have  proved  themselves  unworthy ;  but  that  must  and  will 
ever  be  the  case  where  human  agents  are  employed.  But 
it  argues  no  more  against  the  general  respectability  and 
utility  of  the  missionaries  as  a  body,  than  the  admission  of 
the  traitor  Judas  amongst  the  apostles.  To  the  efficacy  of 
their  works,  and  their  zeal  in  the  cause,  I  myself,  having 
visited  the  stations,  have  no  hesitation  in  bearing  testimony. 
Indeed  I  cannot  but  admire  the  exemplary  fortitude,  the 


180  The  Mission 

wonderful  patience  and  perseverance  which  the  missionaries 
have  displayed. 

"  These  devoted  men  are  to  be  found  in  the  remotest 
deserts,  accompanying  the  wild  and  wandering  savages 
from  place  to  place,  suffering  from  hunger  and  from  thirst, 
destitute  of  almost  every  comfort,  and  at  times  without 
even  the  necessaries  of  life.  Some  of  them  have  without 
murmuring  spent  their  whole  lives  in  such  service ;  and 
yet  their  zeal  is  set  down  as  fanaticism  by  those  who 
remain  at  home,  and  assert  that  the  money  raised  for  their 
equipment  is  thrown  away.  Happily,  they  have  not  looked 
for  their  reward  in  this  world,  but  have  built  their  hopes 
upon  that  which  is  to  come." 

"That  the  people  who  joined  the  mission  stations  have 
become  more  civilised,  and  that  they  are  very  superior  to 
their  countrymen,  is  certain,"  observed  the  Major  ;  "  but 
have  you  seen  any  proof  of  Christianity  having  produced 
any  remarkably  good  effect  among  the  natives  ? — I  mean 
one  that  might  be  brought  forward  as  convincing  evidence 
to  those  who  have  shown  themselves  inimical  or  lukewarm 
in  the  cause." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Swinton,  "  the  history  of  Africaner  is 
one  j  and  there  are  others,  although  not  so  prominent  as 
that  of  the  party  to  whom  I  refer." 

"  Well,  Swinton,  you  must  now  be  again  taxed.  You 
must  give  us  the  history  of  Africaner." 

"  That  I  will,  with  pleasure,  that  you  may  be  able  to 
narrate  it,  when  required,  in  support  of  the  missions. 
Africaner  was  a  chief,  and  a  descendant  of  chiefs  of  the 
Hottentot  nation,  who  once  pastured  their  own  flocks  and 
herds  on  their  own  native  hills,  within  a  hundred  miles  of 
Cape  Town.  As  the  Dutch  colonists  at  the  Cape  increased, 
so  did  they,  as  Mr  Fairburn  has  stated  to  Alexander, 
dispossess  the  Hottentots  of  their  lands,  and  the  Hotten- 
tots, unable  to  oppose  their  invaders,  gradually  found 
themselves  more  and  more  remote  from  the  possessions  of 
their  forefathers. 

"  After  a  time,  Africaner  and  his  diminished  clan  found 


The  Mission  181 

themselves  compelled  to  join  and  take  service  under  a 
Dutch  boor,  and  for  some  time  proved  himself  a  most 
faithful  shepherd  in  looking  after  and  securing  the  herds 
of  his  employer.  Had  the  Dutch  boor  behaved  with 
common  humanity,  not  to  say  gratitude,  towards  those 
who  served  him  so  well,  he  might  now  have  been  alive ; 
but,  like  all  the  rest  of  his  countrymen,  he  considered  the 
Hottentots  as  mere  beasts  of  burden,  and  at  any  momentary 
anger,  they  were  murdered  and  hunted  down  as  if  they 
were  wild  animals. 

"  Africaner  saw  his  clan  daily  diminished  by  the  barbarity 
of  his  feudal  master,  and  at  last  resolved  upon  no  further 
submission.  As  the  Bushmen  were  continually  making 
attempts  upon  the  cattle  of  the  boor,  Africaner  and  his 
people  had  not  only  been  well  trained  to  firearms,  but 
had  them  constantly  in  their  possession.  His  assumed 
master  having  an  idea  that  there  would  be  a  revolt, 
resolved  upon  sending  a  portion  of  Africaner's  people  to  a 
distant  spot,  where  he  intended  to  secure  them,  and  by 
their  destruction  weaken  the  power  of  the  clan. 

"  This,  as  he  was  a  sort  of  magistrate,  he  had  the  power 
to  enforce ;  but  Africaner,  suspecting  his  views,  resolved 
to  defeat  them.  Order  after  order  was  sent  to  the  huts  of 
Africaner  and  his  people.  They  positively  refused  to 
comply.  They  requested  to  be  paid  for  their  long 
services,  and  be  permitted  to  retire  further  into  the 
interior.  This  was  sternly  denied,  and  they  were  ordered 
to  appear  at  the  house  of  the  boor.  Fearful  of  violence, 
yet  accustomed  to  obey  his  order,  Africaner  and  his 
brothers  went  up ;  but  one  of  his  brothers  concealed  his 
gun  under  his  cloak.  On  their  arrival,  the  boor  came  out 
and  felled  Africaner  to  the  ground.  His  brother  imme- 
diately shot  the  boor  with  his  gun,  and  thus  did  the 
miscreant  meet  with  the  just  reward  of  his  villanies  and 
murders. 

"The  wife,  who  had  witnessed  the  murder  of  her 
husband,  shrieked  and  implored  mercy ;  they  told  her  that 
she  need  not  be  alarmed,  but  requested  that  the  guns  and 


1 82  The  Mission 

ammunition  in  the  house  should  be  delivered  up  to  them, 
which  was  immediately  done.  Africaner  then  hastened 
back  to  his  people,  collected  them,  and  all  his  cattle,  with 
what  effects  they  could  take  with  them,  and  directed  his 
course  to  the  Orange  River. 

"  He  was  soon  out  of  the  reach  of  his  pursuers,  for  it 
required  time  in  so  scattered  a  district  to  collect  a  sufficient 
force.  Africaner  fixed  his  abode  upon  the  banks  of  the 
Orange  River,  and  afterwards  a  chief  ceding  to  him  his 
dominion  in  Great  Namaqua  Land,  the  territory  became 
his  by  right  as  well  as  by  conquest.  I  think  I  had  better 
leave  off  now — it  is  getting  late,  and  we  must  to  bed,  if 
we  are  to  start  early  to-morrow  morning." 

"  "We  will  have  mercy  upon  you,  Swinton,  and  defer 
our  impatience,"  said  the  Major. — "  Good-night  to  you, 
and  may  you  not  have  a  lion's  serenade." 

"  No,  I  hope  not  j  their  music  is  too  loud  to  be  agree- 
able j — good-night." 


Chapter   XX 

Having  filled  their  water-kegs,  the  next  morning  at  day- 
light they  yoked  the  oxen,  and  left  the  banks  of  the 
Cradock  or  Black  River,  to  proceed  more  to  the  north- 
ward, through  the  Bushman's  country ;  but  as  they  were 
aware  that  there  was  no  water  to  be  procured  if  they 
quitted  the  stream  altogether,  till  they  arrived  at  the  Vaal 
or  Yellow  River,  they  decided  upon  following  the  course  of 
the  Black  River  to  the  westward  for  some  time  before 
they  struck  off  for  the  Vaal  or  Yellow  River,  near  to 
which  they  expected  to  fall  in  with  plenty  of  game,  and 
particularly  the  giraffe  and  rhinoceros. 

Although  at  that  season  of  the  year  the  river  was 
nearly  dry,  still  there  was  a  scanty  herbage  on  and  near  its 
bank,  intermixed  with  beds  of  rushes  and  high  reeds  ;  this 
was  sufficient  for  the  pasture  of  the  cattle,  but  it  was 


The  Mission  183 

infested  with  lions  and  other  animals,  which  at  the  dry 
season  of  the  year  kept  near  the  river-bank  for  a  supply  of 
water. 

By  noon  they  had  proceeded  about  fifteen  miles  to  the 
westward,  and  as  they  advanced  they  found  that  the  supply 
of  water  in  the  river  was  more  abundant :  they  then  un- 
yoked the  cattle  to  allow  them  to  feed  till  the  evening, 
for  it  was  too  dangerous  to  turn  them  loose  at  night.  As 
they  were  in  no  hurry,  they  resolved  that  they  would  only 
travel  for  the  future  from  daylight  till  noon ;  the  afternoon 
and  evening  were  to  be  spent  in  hunting,  and  at  night  they 
were  to  halt  the  caravan  and  secure  everything  as  before, 
by  enclosing  the  horses  and  sheep,  and  tying  up  the  oxen. 

By  this  arrangement  the  cattle  would  not  be  exhausted 
with  their  labour,  and  they  would  have  time  to  follow  the 
object  of  their  journey,  that  of  hunting  the  wild  animals 
with  which  the  country  abounded,  and  also  of  procuring  a 
constant  supply  of  food  for  themselves  and  their  attend- 
ants. 

Having  now  travelled  as  far  as  they  wished,  they 
stopped  at  the  foot  of  a  rising  ground,  about  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  river's  bank,  and  which  was  on  the 
outskirts  of  a  large  clump  of  mimosa  and  other  trees.  As 
soon  as  the  cattle  were  unyoked  and  had  gone  down  to 
the  river  to  drink,  our  travellers  ordered  their  horses  to 
be  saddled,  and  as  the  banks  of  the  river  on  that  side  were 
low,  they  rode  up  to  the  rising  ground  to  view  the  country 
beyond,  and  ascertain  what  game  might  be  in  sight. 

When  they  arrived  at  the  summit,  and  were  threading 
their  way  through  the  trees,  Omrah  pointed  to  a  broken 
branch,  and  said,  "  Elephant  here  not  long  ago." 

Bremen  said  that  Omrah  was  right,  and  that  the  animals 
could  not  have  left  more  than  a  week,  and  that  probably 
they  had  followed  the  course  of  the  stream.  The  print  of 
another  foot  was  observed  by  Omrah,  and  he  pointed  it 
out  j  but  not  knowing  the  name  to  give  the  animal  in 
English  or  Dutch,  he  imitated  its  motions. 

"  Does  he  mean  a  gnoo  ?  "  said  Alexander. 


184  The  Mission 

Omrah  shook  his  head,  and  raising  his  hands  up,  motioned 
that  the  animal  was  twice  as  big. 

"  Come  here,  Bremen,  what  print  of  a  hoof  is  this  ? " 
said  Swinton. 

"Buffalo,  sir, — fresh  print — was  here  last  night." 

"  That's  an  animal  that  I  am  anxious  to  slay,"  said  the 
Major. 

"  You  must  be  very  careful  that  he  does  not  slay  you," 
replied  Swinton ;  "  for  it  is  a  most  dangerous  beast,  almost 
as  much  so  as  a  lion." 

"  Well,  we  must  not  return  without  one,  at  all  events," 
said  Alexander  ;  "  nor  without  a  lion  also,  as  soon  as  we 
can  find  one  alone ;  but  those  we  have  seen  in  the  daytime 
have  always  been  in  threes  and  fours,  and  I  think  the  odds 
too  great  with  our  party  ;  but  the  first  single  lion  we  fall 
in  with,  I  vote  we  try  for  his  skin." 

"  Agreed,"  replied  the  Major ;  "  what  do  you  say, 
Swinton  ? " 

"Why  I  say  agreed  also;  but  as  I  came  here  to  look 
for  other  things  rather  than  lions,  I  should  say,  as  far  as  I 
am  concerned,  that  the  best  part  of  valour  would  be  dis- 
cretion. However,  depend  upon  it,  if  you  go  after  a  lion 
I  shall  be  with  you :  I  have  often  been  at  the  destruction 
of  them  when  with  Dutch  boors ;  but  then  recollect  we 
have  no  horses  to  spare,  and  therefore  we  must  not  exactly 
follow  their  method." 

"  How  do  they  hunt  the  lions  then  ?  "  inquired 
Alexander. 

"  They  hunt  them  more  for  self-defence  than  for 
pleasure,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  but  on  the  outskirts  of  the 
colony  the  lions  are  so  destructive  to  the  herds  that  the 
colonists  must  destroy  them.  They  generally  go  out  ten 
or  twelve  of  them,  with  their  long  guns,  not  fewer  if 
possible ;  and  you  must  recollect  that  these  boors  are  not 
only  very  cool,  brave  men,  but  most  excellent  shots.  I 
fear  you  will  not  find  that  number  among  our  present 
party,  as,  with  the  exception  of  our  three  selves,  and 
Bremen  and  Swanevelt,  I  do  not  believe  that  there  is  one 


The  Mission  185 

man  here  who  would  face  a  lion  ;  so  that  when  we  do 
attack  one,  it  will  be  at  a  disadvantage. 

"  The  Dutch  boors,  as  soon  as  they  have  ascertained 
where  the  lion  lies,  approach  the  bushes  to  within  a 
moderate  distance,  and  then  alighting,  they  make  all  their 
horses  fast  together  with  their  bridles  and  halters.  In  this 
there  is  danger,  as  sometimes  the  lion  will  spring  out  upon 
them  at  once,  and  if  so,  probably  not  only  horses  but  men 
are  sacrificed.  If  the  lion  remains  quiet,  which  is  usually 
the  case,  they  advance  towards  him  within  thirty  paces  or 
thereabouts,  as  they  know  that  he  generally  makes  his 
spring  at  half  that  distance ;  but  as  they  advance,  they 
back  their  horses  towards  him,  as  a  shield  in  front  of 
them,  knowing  that  the  lion  will  spring  upon  the  horses. 

"  As  they  move  forward,  the  lion  at  first  looks  at  them 
very  calmly,  and  very  often  wags  his  tail  as  if  in  a  playful 
humour ;  but  when  they  approach  nearer,  he  growls,  as  if 
to  warn  them  off.  Then,  as  they  continue  to  approach,  he 
gradually  draws  up  his  hind  legs  under  his  body,  ready  for 
a  spring  at  them  as  soon  as  they  are  within  distance,  and 
you  see  nothing  of  him  except  his  bristling  mane,  and  his 
eyes  glaring  like  fire  ;  for  he  is  then  fully  enraged,  and  in 
the  act  of  springing  the  next  moment. 

"  This  is  the  critical  moment,  and  the  signal  is  given  for 
half  the  party  to  fire.  If  they  are  not  successful  in  laying 
him  dead  on  the  spot  with  this  first  volley,  he  springs  like 
a  thunderbolt  upon  the  horses.  The  remainder  of  the 
party  then  fire,  and  seldom  fail  to  put  an  end  to  him ;  but 
generally  one  or  more  of  the  horses  are  either  killed  or  so 
wounded  as  to  be  destroyed  in  consequence ;  and  some- 
times, although  rarely,  one  or  more  of  the  hunters  share 
the  same  fate.  So,  you  observe  that,  with  every  advantage, 
it  is  a  service  of  danger,  and  therefore  should  not  be  under- 
taken without  due  precaution." 

"  Very  true,  Swinton;  but  it  will  never  do  to  return  to 
the  Cape  without  having  killed  a  lion." 

"  As  you  please  ;  but  even  that  would  be  better  than 
being  killed  yourself  by  a  lion,  and  not  returning  at  all. 


1 86  The  Mission 

However,  my  opinion  is  that  you  will  have  to  kill  a  lion 
before  you  have  travelled  much  further,  without  going  in 
quest  of  him.  There  are  hundreds  of  them  here  ;  as  many 
as  there  are  in  Namaqua  Land." 

"  Look,  master ! "  said  Bremen,  pointing  to  seven  or 
eight  splendid  antelopes  about  a  mile  distant. 

"  I  see,"  replied  the  Major.     "  What  are  they  ? " 

"  Gemsbok,"  said  Swinton.  "  Now  I  will  thank  you 
for  a  specimen  of  that  beautiful  creature,  if  you  can  get  it 
for  me.  We  must  dismount,  leave  our  horses  here,  and 
crawl  along  from  tree  to  tree,  and  bush  to  bush,  till  we  get 
within  shot." 

"They  are,  indeed,  noble  animals.  Look  at  that  large 
male,  which  appears  to  be  the  leader  and  master  of  the 
herd.     What  splendid  horns  ! "  cried  Alexander. 

"  Give  the  horses  to  Omrah  and  Swanevelt.  Bremen 
shall  go  with  us.  Hist ;  not  a  word ;  they  are  looking  in 
this  direction,"  said  the  Major. 

"  Recollect  to  try  for  the  large  male.  I  want  him  most 
particularly,"  said  Swinton. 

"  Master,"  said  Bremen,  "  we  must  creep  till  we  get 
those  bushes  between  us  and  the  game.  Then  we  can 
crawl  through  the  bushes  and  get  a  good  shot." 

"Yes,  that  will  be  the  best  plan,"  said  Swinton.  "As 
softly  as  we  can,  for  they  are  very  shy  animals." 

They  followed  one  another  for  two  or  three  hundred 
yards,  creeping  from  one  covert  to  another,  till  they  had 
placed  the  bushes  on  the  plain  between  them  and  the  herd. 
They  then  stopped  a  little  and  reconnoitred.  The  herd 
of  antelopes  had  left  off  feeding,  and  now  had  all  their 
heads  turned  towards  the  bushes,  and  in  the  direction 
where  they  were  concealed ;  the  large  male  rather  in 
advance  of  the  others,  with  his  long  horns  pointing  for- 
ward, and  his  nose  close  to  the  ground.  Our  party  kept 
silence  for  some  time,  watching  the  animals ;  but  none  of 
them  moved  much  from  their  positions ;  and  as  for  the 
male,  he  remained  as  if  he  were  a  statue. 

"  They  must  have  scented  us,"  whispered  Alexander. 


The  Mission  187 

'*  No,  sir,"  said  Bremen,  "  the  wind  blows  from  them 
to  us.  I  can't  think  what  they  are  about.  But  perhaps 
they  may  have  seen  us." 

"At  all  events,  we  shall  gain  nothing  by  remaining  here; 
we  shall  be  more  concealed  as  we  descend  and  approach 
them,"  observed  the  Major. 

"  That  is  true ;  so  come  along.  Creep  like  mice,"  said 
Swinton. 

They  did  so,  and  at  last  arrived  at  the  patch  of  brush- 
wood which  was  between  them  and  the  antelopes,  and 
were  now  peeping  and  creeping  to  find  out  an  opening  to 
fire  through,  when  they  heard  a  rustling  within.  Bremen 
touched  the  sleeve  of  the  Major  and  beckoned  a  retreat, 
and  motioned  to  the  others ;  but  before  they  could  decide, 
as  they  did  not  know  why  the  Hottentot  proposed  it,  for 
he  did  not  speak  himself,  and  put  his  hand  to  his  mouth  as 
a  hint  to  them  to  be  silent,  a  roar  like  thunder  came  from 
the  bushes  within  three  yards  of  them,  accompanied  with 
a  rushing  noise  which  could  not  be  mistaken.  It 
was  the  roar  and  spring  of  a  lion ;  and  they  looked 
round  amazed  and  stunned,  to  ascertain  who  was  the 
victim. 

"  Merciful  Heaven  !  "  exclaimed  Alexander,  "  and  no 
one  hurt ! " 

"No,  master;  lion  spring  at  antelope.  Now  we  shall 
find  him  on  other  side  of  the  bush,  and  kill  him  easy, 
when  his  eyes  are  shut." 

Bremen  led  the  way  round  the  copse,  followed  by  our 
travellers ;  they  soon  arrived  on  the  other  side  of  it,  with 
their  guns  all  ready ;  but  on  their  arrival,  to  their 
astonishment,  they  perceived  the  lion  and  the  male  gems- 
bok  lying  together.  The  antelope  was  dead,  but  the  lion 
still  alive ;  though  the  horns  of  the  gemsbok  had  passed 
through  his  body.  At  the  sight  of  the  hunters,  the  lion, 
pierced  through  as  he  was,  raised  his  head  with  a  loud 
roar,  and  struck  out  with  his  paw,  as  he  twisted  towards 
them,  his  eyes  glaring  like  hot  coals,  and  showing  his 
tremendous  fangs.      Alexander  was  the  first  who  fired, 


1 88  The  Mission 

and  the  ball  penetrating  the  brain  of  the  noble  animal,  it 
fell  down  dead  upon  the  body  of  the  antelope. 

"  This  is  the  finest  sight  I  ever  witnessed,"  observed 
Swinton.  "  I  have  heard  that  the  gemsboks'  horns  are 
sometimes  fatal  to  the  lion,  but  I  could  hardly  credit  it. 
They  have  passed  nearly  through  his  body ;  the  points  are 
under  the  skin." 

"  Now  we  know,  Master,  why  gemsbok  have  his  nose 
to  the  ground  and  his  horn  pointed,"  said  Bremen ;  "  he 
saw  the  lion  and  fought  him  to  save  his  herd." 

"I  am  quite  stunned  yet,"  observed  Alexander. 
"What  a  noble  animal  it  is.  Well,  at  all  events,  I  can 
say  that  I  have  shot  a  lion,  which  is  more  than  you  can, 
Major." 

"  I  only  wish  that  when  I  shoot  one  I  may  have  no  more 
danger  to  incur,"  replied  the  Major.  "  What  a  different 
idea  does  one  have  of  a  lion  in  a  menagerie  and  one  in  its 
free  and  native  state.  Why,  the  menagerie  lions  can't 
roar  at  all ;  they  are  nothing  but  overgrown  cats,  com- 
pared to  the  lion  of  the  desert." 

"  That  is  very  true,"  observed  Swinton  ;  "  however,  I 
am  delighted,  for  now  I  have  not  only  my  gemsbok, 
which  is  a  gem  above  price,  but  also  as  fine  a  lion  as  I 
have  ever  seen.  I  should  like  to  have  them  stuffed  and 
set  up  just  as  they  were  before  Alexander  killed  them. 
His  rage  and  agony  combined  were  most  magnificent. 
After  all,  the  lion  is  the  king  of  the  beasts.  Bremen, 
send  Swanevelt  to  the  caravan  for  some  of  the  men.  I 
must  have  both  skin  and  skeleton  of  the  antelope,  and 
the  skin  of  the  lion." 

Our  travellers  were  quite  satisfied  with  the  sport  of  the 
day,  and,  after  waiting  for  some  time,  while  the  Hotten- 
tots disentangled  the  animals  and  took  off  the  skins,  they 
returned  to  the  caravan,  Omrah  having  secured  a  portion 
of  the  flesh  of  the  gemsbok  for  their  supper. 

As  they  were  returning,  they  observed  a  herd  of  buffa- 
loes at  a  great  distance,  and  proposed  to  themselves  the 
hunting  of  them  after  they  had  halted  on  the  following 


The  Mission  189 

day,  if  the  animals  were  at  any  reasonable  distance  from 
them.  At  supper  the  flesh  of  the  antelope  was  pronounced 
better  than  that  of  the  gnoo  ;  and  after  supper,  as  soon  as 
the  cattle  had  been  all  secured  and  the  fires  lighted, 
Alexander  proposed  that  Swinton  should  finish  his  history 
of  Africaner. 

"  If  I  remember  right,  I  left  off  where  Africaner  and  his 
people  had  escaped  to  Namaqua  Land,  where  he  became 
a  chief.  Attempts  were  made  to  take  him  prisoner  and 
bring  him  to  the  colony,  but  without  success.  Expedition 
after  expedition  failed,  and  Africaner  dared  them  to  ap- 
proach his  territories.  At  last,  the  colonists  had  recourse 
to  the  Griquas,  and  offered  them  large  rewards  if  they 
would  bring  Africaner  in. 

"  The  Griquas,  commanded  by  a  celebrated  chief,  of 
the  name  of  Berend,  made  several  attempts,  and  in  con- 
sequence a  cruel  war  was  carried  on  between  Berend  and 
Africaner,  in  which  neither  party  gained  the  advantage. 
Africaner  discovering  that  the  colonists  had  bribed  Berend 
to  make  war  against  him,  now  turned  his  wrath  against 
them.  A  Dutch  boor  fell  a  victim  to  his  fury,  and  he 
carried  off  large  quantities  of  their  cattle,  and  eventually 
Africaner  became  the  terror  of  the  colony.  The  natives 
also  who  resided  in  Namaqua  Land  commenced  depredations 
upon  Africaner,  but  he  repaid  them  with  such  interest,  that 
at  last  every  tribe  fled  at  his  approach,  and  his  name  carried 
dismay  into  their  solitary  wastes.  The  courage  and  in- 
trepidity shown  by  Africaner  and  his  brothers  in  their 
various  combats,  were  most  remarkable,  but  to  narrate  all 
his  adventures  would  occupy  too  much  time.  It  is  certain 
that  he  not  only  became  dreaded,  but  in  consequence  of 
his  forbearance  on  several  occasions  he  was  respected. 

"It  was  in  1810  that  the  missionaries  came  into  the 
Namaqua  Land,  and  it  unfortunately  happened  that  a  dispute 
arose  about  some  of  Africaner's  property,  which  was 
seized,  and  at  the  same  time  Africaner  lost  some  cattle. 
The  parties  who  were  at  variance  with  Africaner  lived  near 
to   the   mission    station,   and    very   unwisely    the    people 


190  The  Mission 

at  the  mission  station  were  permitted  to  go  to  their  assist- 
ance. 

"  This  roused  the  anger  of  Africaner,  who  vowed 
vengeance  on  the  mission  and  the  people  collected  around 
it  or  connected  with  it.  As  Africaner  had  commenced 
his  attacks  upon  the  Namaquas,  and  was  advancing  towards 
the  mission,  the  missionaries  were  compelled  to  abandon 
the  station  and  return  to  the  colony.  The  mission  station 
was  soon  afterwards  taken  possession  of  by  Africaner, 
and  the  houses  burnt  to  the  ground. 

"  A  curious  circumstance  occurred  during  this  affair : 
his  followers  were  seeking  everywhere  for  plunder,  when 
some  of  them  entered  the  burial-ground,  and  one  of  them 
treading  on  an  apparently  new  made  grave,  was  astonished 
by  soft  notes  of  music  proceeding  from  the  ground  be- 
neath. 

"  Superstitious  as  the  natives  are,  and  having  most  of 
them,  in  former  days,  heard  something  of  the  Christian 
doctrines,  they  started  and  stood  transfixed  with  astonish- 
ment, expecting  the  dead  to  arise,  as  they  had  been  once 
told.  One  of  them  mustered  courage  to  put  his  foot 
again  upon  the  spot,  and  the  reply  was  soft  and  musical 
as  before.  Away  they  all  started  to  Africaner,  to  inform 
him  that  there  was  life  and  music  in  the  grave. 

"  The  chief,  who  feared  neither  the  living  nor  the  dead, 
went  to  the  burial-ground  with  his  men,  and  jumped  upon 
the  spot,  which  immediately  gave  out  the  soft  notes  as 
before.  Africaner  ordered  an  immediate  exhumation, 
when  the  source  of  the  mystery  proved  to  be  the 
pianoforte  of  the  missionary's  wife,  which,  being  too 
cumbrous  an  article  to  take  away,  had  been  buried  there, 
with  the  hope  of  being  one  day  able  to  recover  it. 
Never  having  seen  such  an  instrument  before,  Africaner 
had  it  dissected  for  the  sake  of  the  brass  wires,  and  thus 
the  piano  was  destroyed." 

"  I  doubt  if  it  would  ever  have  been  dug  up  in  Caffre 
Land,"  observed  Alexander. 

"  I  am  convinced  it  never  would  have  been,  but  have 


The  Mission  191 

remained  as  a  wonder  and  object  of  fear  as  long  as  it  held 
together,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  but  to  proceed — 

"  The  mission  station  having  been  for  some  time  broken 
up  by  this  attack  of  Africaner,  Mr  C,  a  missionary, 
anxious  to  restore  it,  wrote  a  letter  to  Africaner  on  the 
subject,  and  received  a  favourable  reply,  and  a  Mr  E. 
was  sent  to  the  residence  of  Africaner  himself.  After  a 
short  time,  Africaner  and  his  two  brothers,  with  a  number 
of  others,  were  baptised. 

"  At  first  it  must  be  admitted  that  their  profession  of 
Christianity  did  not  greatly  improve  their  conduct ;  but 
this  was  very  much  to  be  ascribed  to  the  circumstance, 
that  the  duties  of  the  station  had  devolved  upon  one  who 
ought  not  to  have  been  selected  for  the  task.  Upon  his 
removal,  and  a  more  fitting  minister  of  the  Gospel  taking 
his  place,  a  great  change  was  soon  observable  in  Africaner ; 
and,  from  having  been  one  of  the  most  remorseless 
pursuers  of  his  vengeance — a  firebrand  spreading  discord, 
war,  and  animosity  among  the  neighbouring  tribes — he 
would  now  make  every  concession  and  any  sacrifice  to 
prevent  collision  and  bloodshed  between  contending 
parties. 

"  Although  his  power  was  so  great  that  he  might  have 
raised  his  arm  and  dared  them  to  lift  a  spear  or  draw  a 
bow,  he  would  entreat  them  as  a  suppliant  to  be  re- 
conciled. 

"  '  Look  at  me,'  he  would  say,  *  how  many  battles  have 
I  fought ;  how  much  cattle  have  I  taken ;  but  what  has  it 
done  for  me,  but  make  me  full  of  shame  and  sorrow  ? ' 

"In  short,  from  that  time  till  he  died,  he  became  a 
peacemaker  and  a  Christian,  both  in  word  and  deed.  His 
whole  life  was  devoted  to  acts  of  kindness  and  charity — 
to  instructing  and  exhorting,  and  following  the  precepts 
of  him  in  whose  faith  eventually  he  lived  and  died." 

"Well,  Swinton,  you  have  indeed  given  us  a  remark- 
able proof  that  the  missionary  labours  are  not  always 
thrown  away,  and  we  thank  you  for  your  compliance 
with  our  request." 


192  The  Mission 

"  It  is  a  remarkable  instance,  if  you  only  consider  how 
many  hundreds  of  lives  might  have  been  sacrificed,  if 
Africaner  had  continued  his  career  of  slaughter  and  of 
plunder ;  and  how  many  lives,  I  may  add,  have  been  also 
saved  by  his  interference  as  a  peacemaker,  instead  of 
being,  as  he  formerly  was,  a  promoter  of  war  and 
bloodshed." 

"Swinton,"  said  Alexander,  "I  wanted  to  ask  you  a 
question  which  I  had  nearly  forgotten.  Do  you  recollect 
what  Bremen  said  to  us,  that  the  lion  had  seized  the 
gemsbok,  and  that  now  the  lion  would  shut  his  eyes,  and 
that  he  would  shoot  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,  I  do ;  and  he  was  correct  in  what  he  stated,  for 
I  have  witnessed  it  myself.  When  a  lion  seizes  a  large 
animal  like  an  ox  or  horse,  or  the  animal  he  fell  a  martyr 
to  this  afternoon,  he  springs  upon  it,  seizes  it  by  the 
throat  with  his  terrible  fangs,  and  holds  it  down  with  his 
paws  till  it  expires.  From  the  moment  the  lion  seizes 
his  prey,  he  shuts  his  eyes,  and  never  opens  them  again 
until  the  life  of  his  prey  is  extinct.  I  remember  a 
Hottentot,  when  a  lion  had  seized  an  ox  in  this  way, 
running  up  to  him  with  his  gun  and  firing  within  a  few 
yards'  distance.  The  lion,  however,  did  not  deign  to 
notice  the  report  of  the  gun,  but  continued  to  hold  fast 
his  prey.  The  Hottentot  loaded  again,  fired,  and  again 
missed  j  reloaded  again,  and  then  shot  the  lion  through 
the  head." 

"  How  very  strange  !  " 

"  It  is,  and  I  cannot  give  any  reason  for  it ;  but  that 
it  is  so,  I  well  know  to  be  a  fact.  Perhaps  it  may  be 
that  the  animal,  after  long  fasting,  is  quite  absorbed  with 
the  grateful  taste  of  the  blood  flowing  into  his  mouth, 
while  the  animal  is  writhing  under  his  clutches.  But 
there  are  many  singular  points  about  the  lion,  which  is 
a  much  more  noble  and  intelligent  animal  than  most 
people  have  any  idea  of;  I  have  collected  a  number  of 
facts  relative  to  his  majesty  which  would  surprise  you. 
The  Bushmen  know  the  animal  and  his  habits  so  well, 


■* 


The  Mission  193 

that  they  seldom  come  to  any  accident  from  their  inhabit- 
ing a  country  in  which  I  really  believe  the  population  of 
lions  exceeds  that  of  Bushmen." 

"  Is  it  true  that  the  lion,  as  well  as  other  animals,  is 
afraid  of  the  eye  of  man?"  said  the  Major;  "can  you 
reply  to  that  question  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  can,"  answered  Swinton  ;  "  I  was  about  to 
say  that  he  is  and  is  not ;  but  a  better  answer  will  be  to 
give  you  what  has  come  to  my  knowledge :  I  consider 
that  the  lion  is  a  much  more  dangerous  animal  in  this 
country,  and  indeed  in  any  other  where  there  are  no 
firearms,  than  where  the  occupants  are  possessed  of 
them. 

"  It  may  appear  strange,  but  it  is  my  fixed  opinion, 
that  the  lion  has  an  idea  of  the  deadly  nature  of  firearms, 
and  that  he  becomes  in  consequence  more  afraid  of  man. 
You  remember  a  story  I  told  you  of  a  lion  watching  a 
man  for  two  days  without  destroying  him,  but  never 
permitting  him  to  lay  hold  of  his  gun ;  now  it  is  satis- 
factorily proved  that  a  lion  will  pass  a  man  who  has  a 
gun  in  his  hand  without  attacking  him,  provided  that  he 
does  not  attempt  to  level  the  gun ;  but  the  moment  that 
he  does  he  will  spring  upon  him. 

"  An  instance  of  that  occurred  to  the  great  lion  hunter, 
Diedrich  Muller,  who  mentioned  it  to  me.  He  had  been 
alone  hunting  in  the  wilds,  when  he  came  suddenly  upon 
a  large  lion,  which,  instead  of  giving  way  as  they  usually 
do,  seemed  disposed,  from  the  angry  attitude  which  he 
assumed,  to  dispute  his  progress. 

"  Muller  instantly  alighted,  and,  confident  of  his  un- 
erring aim,  levelled  his  gun  at  the  forehead  of  the  lion, 
which  had  crouched  in  the  act  to  spring,  within  sixteen 
paces  of  him;  but  as  he  fired,  his  horse,  whose  bridle 
was  round  his  arm,  started  back,  and  jerking  him  aside, 
caused  him  to  miss ;  the  lion  bounded  forward,  but 
stopped  within  a  few  paces,  confronting  Muller,  who 
stood  defenceless,  as  his  gun  was  discharged  and  hi& 
horse  had  galloped  off. 

M  N 


194  The  Mission 

"  The  man  and  the  beast  stood  looking  each  other  in 
the  face  for  a  short  time.  At  length  the  lion  moved 
backward,  as  if  to  go  away.  Muller  began  loading  his 
gun;  the  lion  looked  over  his  shoulder,  growled,  and 
immediately  returned  to  his  former  position  within  a  few 
paces  of  Muller.  Muller  stood  still,  with  his  eyes  fixed 
on  the  animal.  The  lion  again  moved  cautiously  off ; 
when  he  was  at  a  certain  distance,  Muller  proceeded  to 
ram  down  his  bullet.  The  lion  again  looked  back  and 
growled  angrily.  Muller  again  was  quiet,  and  the 
animal  continued  turning  and  growling  as  it  moved  off, 
till  at  last  it  bounded  away." 

"  You  imagine,  then,  that  the  lion  is  aware  of  the  fatal 
effects  of  firearms  ?  "  said  the  Major. 

"  It  would  appear  so,  not  only  on  account  of  their 
being  so  angry  if  presented  at  them,  or  being  touched 
even  when  they  are  close  to  them,  but  also  from  the 
greater  respect  the  lion  pays  to  man  where  firearms  are 
in  use.  The  respect  that  he  pays  to  men  in  the  colony  is 
not  a  general  custom  of  the  animal. 

"  As  I  said  before,  the  lion  is  more  dangerous  in  this 
Bushman  country  j  because,  in  the  first  place,  his  awe  of 
man  has  been  removed,  from  his  invariably  successful 
rencontres  with  those  who  have  no  weapons  of  force  with 
which  to  oppose  him ;  and,  secondly,  because  he  has  but 
too  often  tasted  human  flesh,  after  which  a  lion  becomes 
more  partial  to  it  than  any  other  food. 

"It  is  asserted,  that  when  a  lion  has  once  succeeded 
in  snatching  some  unfortunate  Bushman  from  his  cave,  he 
never  fails  to  return  regularly  every  night,  in  hopes  of 
another  meal,  until  the  horde  is  so  harassed  that  they  are 
compelled  to  seek  some  other  shelter.  From  apprehension 
of  such  attacks,  it  is  also  asserted  that  the  Bushmen  are  in 
the  habit  of  placing  their  aged  and  infirm  people  at  the 
entrance  of  the  cave  during  the  night,  that,  should  the  lion 
come,  the  least  valuable  and  most  useless  of  their  com- 
munity may  first  fall  a  prey  to  the  animal." 

"  Of  course,  if  permitted  to  help  himself  in  that  way, 


The  Mission  195 

the  lion  cannot  have  much  fear  of  man,"  observed  Wilmot ; 
"  and  his  lurking  abroad  in  the  night  takes  away  much 
from  the  nobleness  of  disposition  which  you  are  inclined 
to  attribute  to  him." 

"  By  no  means,"  continued  Swinton.  "  That  a  lion 
generally  lurks  and  lies  in  wait  to  seize  his  prey,  is 
certain ;  but  this  is  the  general  characteristic  of  the 
feline  tribe,  of  which  he  may  be  considered  as  the 
head ;  and  it  is  for  this  mode  of  hunting  that  nature 
has  fitted  him. 

"  The  wolf,  the  hound,  and  others,  are  furnished 
with  an  acute  scent,  and  are  enabled  to  tire  down  their 
prey  by  a  long  chase.  The  feline  tribe  are  capable  of  very 
extraordinary  efforts  of  activity  and  speed  for  a  very  short 
time  j  if  they  fail  to  seize  their  prey  at  the  first  spring,  or 
after  a  few  tremendous  bounds,  they  generally  abandon 
the  pursuit. 

"  The  lion  can  spring  from  nine  to  twelve  yards  at 
a  leap,  and  for  a  few  seconds  can  repeat  these  bounds 
with  such  activity  and  velocity,  as  to  outstrip  the  move- 
ments of  the  quickest  horse  ;  but  he  cannot  continue  these 
amazing  efforts,  and  does  not  attempt  it.  In  fact,  the  lion 
is  no  more  than  a  gigantic  cat,  and  he  must  live  by 
obtaining  his  prey  in  the  same  manner  as  a  cat. 

"  In  these  countries,  his  prey  is  chiefly  of  the  antelope 
species,  the  swiftest  animals  on  earth  ;  and  what  chance 
would  he  have,  if  he  were  to  give  one  of  his  magnanimous 
roars  to  announce  his  approach  ?  He  knows  his  business 
better  j  he  crouches  in  the  rank  grass  and  reeds  by  the 
sides  of  the  paths  made  by  the  animals  to  descend  to 
the  rivers  and  pools  to  drink,  and  as  they  pass  he  makes 
his  spring  upon  them. 

"  Now  I  do  not  consider  that  his  obtaining  his  food  as 
nature  has  pointed  out  to  him,  is  any  argument  against 
what  I  consider  the  really  noble  disposition  of  the  lion, 
which  is,  that  he  does  not  kill  for  mere  cruelty,  and  that 
he  is  really  generous,  unless  compelled  by  hunger  to 
destroy,  as  I  have  already  shown  by  one  or  two  examples." 


196  The  Mission 

"We  are  convinced,  my  dear  Swinton,"  said  Alexander  ; 
"  but  now  let  us  have  your  opinion  as  to  his  being  afraid 
to  meet  the  eye  of  man." 

"  I  consider  that  the  lion  will  generally  retreat  before 
the  presence  of  man ;  but  he  does  not  retreat  cowardly 
like  the  leopard  or  hyena,  and  others.  He  never  slinks 
away,  he  appears  calmly  to  survey  his  opponent,  as 
apparently  measuring  his  prowess.  I  should  say  that  the 
lion  seems  to  have  a  secret  impression  that  man  is  not 
his  natural  prey,  and  although  he  will  not  always  give 
place  to  him,  he  will  not  attack  him,  if,  in  the  first  place, 
the  man  shows  no  signs  of  fear,  and  in  the  second,  no 
signs  of  hostility. 

"But  this  instinctive  deference  to  man  is  not  to  be 
reckoned  upon*  He  may  be  very  angry,  he  may  be  very 
hungry,  he  may  have  been  just  disappointed  in  taking  his 
prey,  or  he  may  be  accompanied  by  the  female  and  cubs  ; 
in  short,  the  animal's  temper  may  have  been  ruffled,  and 
in  this  case  he  becomes  dangerous. 

"  An  old  Namaqua  chief  with  whom  I  was  conversing, 
and  who  had  been  accustomed  to  lions  from  childhood, 
fully  corroborated  these  opinions,  and  also  that  there  is 
that  in  the  eye  of  man  before  which  the  lion  quails.  He 
assured  me  that  the  lion  very  seldom  attacks  a  man  if 
not  provoked  ;  but  he  will  approach  him  within  a  few 
paces  and  survey  him  steadily.  Sometimes  he  attempts  to 
get  behind  him,  as  if  he  could  not  stand  his  look,  but  was 
desirous  of  springing  upon  him  unawares.  He  said,  that 
if  a  man  in  such  a  case  attempted  to  fly,  he  would  run  the 
greatest  danger,  but  that  if  he  had  presence  of  mind  to 
confront  the  animal,  it  would  in  almost  every  instance 
after  a  short  time  retire. 

"  Now  I  have  already  brought  forward  the  instance 
of  Muller  and  the  lion,  as  a  proof  of  the  effect  of  a  man's 
eye  upon  the  lion.  I  will  now  give  another,  still  more 
convincing,  as  the  contact  was  still  closer,  and  the  lion  had 
even  tasted  blood. 

"  A  boor  of  the  name  of  Gyt  was  out  with  one  of 


The  Mission  197 

his  neighbours  hunting.  Coming  to  a  fountain,  sur- 
rounded as  usual  with  tall  reeds  and  rushes,  Gyt  gave 
his  gun  to  his  comrade,  and  alighted  to  see  if  there  was 
any  water  remaining  in  it ;  but  as  he  approached  the 
fountain,  an  enormous  lion  started  up  close  at  his  side,  and 
seized  him  by  the  left  arm.  Gyt,  although  thus  taken  by 
surprise,  stood  motionless  and  without  struggling,  for  he 
was  aware  that  the  least  attempt  to  escape  would  occasion 
his  immediate  destruction.  The  animal  also  remained 
motionless,  holding  Gyt  fast  by  the  arm  with  his  fangs, 
but  without  biting  it  severely,  at  the  same  time  shutting 
his  eyes,  as  if  he  could  not  withstand  the  eyes  of  his 
victim  fixed  upon  him." 

"  What  a  terrible  position  ! " 

"  Yes  ;  but  I  may  here  observe  that  the  lion  was  induced 
to  seize  the  man  in  consequence  of  their  coming  so  com- 
pletely in  contact,  and,  as  it  were,  for  self-defence.  Had 
they  been  farther  apart,  the  lion  would,  as  usually  is  the 
case,  have  walked  away ;  and,  moreover,  the  eye  of  the 
man  being  so  close  to  him,  had,  at  the  same  time,  more 
power  over  the  lion,  so  as  to  induce  him  to  shut  his  own. 
But,  to  continue — 

"  As  they  stood  in  this  position,  Gyt  recovered  his 
presence  of  mind,  and  beckoned  to  his  comrade  to  advance 
with  his  gun  and  shoot  the  lion  through  the  head.  This 
might  easily  have  been  done,  as  the  animal  continued  still 
with  his  eyes  closed,  and  Gyt's  body  concealed  any  object 
approaching.  But  his  comrade  was  a  cowardly  scoundrel, 
and  instead  of  coming  to  Gyt's  assistance,  he  cautiously 
crawled  up  a  rock  to  secure  himself  from  any  danger.  For 
a  long  while  Gyt  continued  earnestly  to  entreat  his  com- 
rade by  signs  to  come  to  his  assistance — the  lion  continuing 
all  this  while  perfectly  quiet — but  in  vain." 

"  How  my  blood  boils  at  the  conduct  of  this  scoundrel," 
said  the  Major ;  "  admitting  his  first  impulse  to 
have  been  fear,  yet  to  allow  his  comrade  to  remain  in 
that  position  for  so  long  a  while,  covers  him  with 
infamy." 


198  The  Mission 

"  I  think  if  Gyt  escaped  he  must  have  felt  very  much 
inclined  to  shoot  the  wretch  himself." 

"  The  lion  hunters  affirm  that  if  Gyt  had  but  persevered 
a  little  longer,  the  animal  would  have  at  last  released  his 
hold  and  left  Gyt  uninjured ;  that  the  grip  of  the  lion  was 
more  from  fear  that  the  man  would  hurt  him,  than  from 
any  wish  to  hurt  the  man,  and  such  is  my  opinion.  But 
Gyt,  indignant  at  the  cowardice  of  his  comrade,  and  losing 
patience  with  the  lion,  at  last  drew  his  hunting-knife,  which 
all  the  boors  invariably  carry  at  their  side,  and  with  all  the 
power  of  his  right  arm,  thrust  it  into  the  lion's  breast. 

"  The  thrust  was  a  deadly  one,  for  it  was  aimed  with 
judgment,  and  Gyt  was  a  bold  and  powerful  man ;  but  it 
did  not  prove  effectual  so  as  to  save  Gyt's  life,  for  the 
enraged  lion,  striving  in  his  death  agonies  to  grapple  with 
Gyt, — held  at  arm's  length  by  the  strength  of  desperation 
on  the  part  of  the  boor, — so  dreadfully  lacerated  with  his 
talons  the  breast  and  arms  of  poor  Gyt,  that  his  bones 
were  left  bare. 

"  At  last  the  lion  fell  dead,  and  Gyt  fell  with  him.  His 
cowardly  companion,  who  had  witnessed  this  fearful 
struggle  from  the  rock,  now  took  courage  to  advance,  and 
carried  the  mangled  body  of  Gyt  to  the  nearest  house. 
Medical  aid  was  at  hand,  but  vainly  applied,  as,  on  the 
third  day,  he  died  of  a  locked  jaw.  Such  was  the  tragical 
end  of  this  rencontre,  from  the  sheer  cowardice  of  Gyt's 
companion. 

"I  could  mention  many  other  instances  in  which  lions 
have  had  men  in  their  power  and  have  not  injured  them, 
if  they  have  neither  attempted  to  escape  nor  to  assault ; 
but  I  think  I  have  given  enough  already,  not  only  to  prove 
the  fact  of  his  general  forbearance  towards  man,  but  also 
that  there  is  something  in  the  eye  of  man  at  which  the  lion 
and  other  animals,  I  believe,  will  quail." 

"I  can  myself  give  an  instance  that  this  fascinating 
effect,  or  whatever  it  may  be,  of  the  human  eye,  is  not 
confined  wholly  to  the  lion,"  said  the  Major. 

"One  of  our  officers  in  India,  having  once  rambled  into 


The  Mission  199 

a  jungle  adjoining  the  British  encampment,  suddenly 
encountered  a  Bengal  tiger.  The  meeting  was  evidently 
most  unexpected  on  both  sides,  and  both  parties  made  a 
dead  halt,  earnestly  gazing  at  each  other.  The  officer  had 
no  firearms  with  him,  although  he  had  his  regulation 
sword  by  his  side,  but  that  he  knew  would  be  no  defence 
if  he  had  to  struggle  for  life  with  such  a  fearful  antagonist. 
He  was,  however,  a  man  of  undaunted  courage,  and  he  had 
heard  that  even  a  Bengal  tiger  might  be  checked,  by  look- 
ing him  steadily  in  the  face. 

"  His  only  artillery  being,  like  a  lady's,  that  of  his  eyes, 
he  directed  them  point  blank  at  the  tiger.  He  would  have 
infinitely  preferred  a  rifle,  as  he  was  not  at  all  sure  but 
that  his  eyes  might  miss  fire.  However,  after  a  few 
minutes,  during  which  the  tiger  had  been  crouched  ready 
for  his  spring,  the  animal  appeared  disturbed  and  irreso- 
lute, slunk  on  one  side,  and  then  attempted  to  crawl  round 
behind  the  officer. 

"  This,  of  course,  the  officer  would  not  permit,  and  he 
turned  to  the  tiger  as  the  tiger  turned,  with  the  same 
constancy  that,  Tom  Moore  says,  the  '  sunflower  turns  to 
the  sun.'  The  tiger  then  darted  into  the  thicket,  and  tried 
to  catch  him  by  coming  suddenly  upon  him  from  another 
quarter,  and  taking  him  by  surprise  j  but  our  officer  was 
wide  awake,  as  you  may  suppose,  and  the  tiger  finding 
that  it  was  no  go,  at  last  went  off  himself,  and  the  officer 
immediately  went  off  too,  as  fast  as  he  could,  to  the 
encampment." 

"  I  am  glad  to  have  heard  your  narrative,  Major," 
replied  Swinton ;  "  for  many  doubts  have  been  thrown 
upon  the  question  of  the  power  of  the  human  eye,  and 
your  opinion  is  a  very  corroborative  one." 

"  Do  not  you  imagine  that  the  lion-tamers  who  exhibit 
in  Europe  have  taken  advantage  of  this  peculiar  fact  ? " 

"  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  one  of  their  great  helps  ; 
but  I  think  that  they  resort  to  other  means,  which  have 
increased  the  instinctive  fear  that  the  animals  have  of  them. 
I  have  witnessed  these  exhibitions,  and  always  observed 


2oo  The  Mission 

that  the  man  never  for  a  moment  took  his  eyes  off  the 
animal  which  he  was  playing  with  or  commanding." 

"I  have  observed  that  also;  but  what  are  the  other 
means  to  which  you  allude  ? " 

"  I  cannot  positively  say,  but  I  can  only  express  an 
opinion.  The  most  painful  and  most  stunning  effects  of  a 
blow  upon  any  part  of  the  body,  not  only  of  man  but  of 
brutes,  is  a  blow  on  the  nose.  Many  animals,  such  as  the 
seal  and  others,  are  killed  by  it  immediately,  and  there  is 
no  doubt  but  a  severe  blow  on  that  tender  part  will 
paralyse  almost  any  beast  for  the  time  and  give  him  a 
dread  for  the  future.  I  believe  that  repeated  blows  upon 
the  nose  will  go  farther  than  any  other  means  to  break  the 
courage  of  any  beast,  and  I  imagine  that  these  are  resorted 
to ;  but  it  is  only  my  opinion,  recollect,  and  it  must  be 
taken  for  just  as  much  as  it  is  worth." 

"Do  not  you  think  that  animals  may  be  tamed  by  kind- 
ness, if  you  can  produce  in  them  the  necessary  proportion 
of  love  and  fear  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  was  about  to  say  every  animal,  but  I  believe 
some  must  be  excepted ;  and  this  is  from  their  having  so 
great  a  fear  of  man  rather  than  from  any  other  cause.  If 
their  fear  could  be  overcome,  they  might  be  tamed.  Of 
course  there  are  some  animals  which  have  not  sufficient 
reasoning  power  to  admit  of  their  being  tamed ;  for 
instance,  who  would  ever  think  of  taming  a  scorpion  ? " 

"I  believe  that  there  is  one  animal  which,  although 
taken  as  a  cub,  has  resisted  every  attempt  to  tame  it  in 
the  slightest  degree, — this  is  the  grizzly  bear  of  North 
America." 

"  I  have  heard  so  too,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  at  all  events, 
up  to  the  present  time  they  have  been  unsuccessful.  It  is 
an  animal  of  most  unamiable  disposition,  that  is  certain  j 
and  I  would  rather  encounter  ten  lions,  if  all  that  they  say 
of  it  is  true.  But  it  is  time  for  us  to  go  to  bed.  Those 
fires  are  getting  rather  low.     Who  has  the  watch  ? " 

The  Major  rose  and  walked  round  to  find  the  Hottentot 
who    was    on    that    duty,    and    found    him   fast    asleep. 


The  Mission  201 

After  sundry  kicks  in  the  ribs,  the  fellow  at  last  woke 
up. 

"  Is  it  your  watch  ? 

"  Yaw,  Mynher,"  replied  Big  Adam,  rolling  out  of  his 
kross. 

"  "Well  then  you  keep  it  so  well,  that  you  will  have  no 
tobacco  next  time  it  is  served  out." 

"  Gentlemen  all  awake  and  keep  watch,  so  I  go  to  sleep 
a  little,"  replied  Adam,  getting  up  on  his  legs. 

"  Look  to  your  fires,  sir,"  replied  the  Major,  walking  to 
his  wagon. 


Chapter  XXI 

As  they  fully  expected  to  fall  in  with  a  herd  of  buffaloes 
as  they  proceeded,  they  started  very  early  on  the  following 
morning.  They  had  now  the  satisfaction  of  finding  that 
the  water  was  plentiful  in  the  river,  and,  in  some  of  the 
large  holes  which  they  passed,  they  heard  the  snorting  and 
blowing  of  the  hippopotami,  to  the  great  delight  of  the 
Hottentots,  who  were  very  anxious  to  procure  one,  being 
very  partial  to  its  flesh. 

As  they  travelled  that  day,  they  fell  in  with  a  small 
party  of  Bushmen  ;  they  were  shy  at  first,  but  one  or  two 
of  the  women  at  last  approached,  and  receiving  some 
presents  of  snufF  and  tobacco,  the  others  soon  joined ;  and 
as  they  understood  from  Omrah  and  the  Hottentots  that 
they  were  to  hunt  in  the  afternoon,  they  followed  the 
caravan,  with  the  hopes  of  obtaining  food. 

They  were  a  very  diminutive  race,  the  women,  although 
very  well  formed,  not  being  more  than  four  feet  high. 
Their  countenances  were  pleasing,  that  is  the  young  ones  ; 
and  one  or  two  of  them  would  have  been  pretty,  had  they 
not  been  so  disfigured  with  grease  and  dirt.  Indeed  the 
effluvia  from  them  was  so  unpleasant,  that  our  travellers 
were   glad   that    they    should   keep   at   a   distance  5    and 


202  The  Mission 

Alexander  said  to  Swinton,  "  Is  it  true  that  the  lion  and 
other  animals  prefer  a  black  man  to  a  white,  as  being 
of  higher  flavour,  Swinton,  or  is  it  only  a  joke  ? " 

"I  should  think  there  must  be  some  truth  in  the  idea," 
observed  the  Major ;  "  for  they  say  that  the  Bengal  tiger 
will  always  take  a  native  in  preference  to  a  European." 

"It  is,  I  believe,  not  to  be  disputed,"  replied  Swinton, 
"  that  for  one  European  devoured  by  the  lion  or  other 
animals,  he  feasts  upon  ten  Hottentots  or  Bushmen, 
perhaps  more ;  but  I  ascribe  the  cause  of  his  so  doing, 
not  exactly  to  his  perceiving  any  difference  in  the  flesh 
of  a  black  and  a  white  man,  and  indulging  his  preference. 
The  lion,  like  many  other  beasts  of  prey,  is  directed  to  his 
game  by  his  scent  as  well  as  by  his  eye ;  that  is  certain. 
Now  I  appeal  to  you,  who  have  got  rid  of  these  Bushmen, 
and  who  know  so  well  how  odoriferous  is  the  skin  of  a 
Hottentot,  whether  a  lion's  nose  is  not  much  more  likely  to 
be  attracted  by  one  of  either  of  these  tribes  of  people, 
than  it  would  by  either  you  or  me.  How  often,  in 
travelling,  have  we  changed  our  position,  when  the  wind 
has  borne  down  upon  us  the  effluvia  of  the  Hottentot  who 
was  driving — why  that  effluvia  is  borne  down  with  the 
wind  for  miles,  and  is  as  savoury  to  the  lion,  I  have  no 
doubt,  as  a  beef-steak  is  to  us." 

"  There  can,  I  think,  be  no  doubt  of  that,"  said 
Alexander ;  "  but  it  is  said  that  they  will  select  a 
Hottentot  from  white  men." 

"  No  doubt  of  it,  because  they  follow  up  the  scent 
right  to  the  party  from  whence  it  emanates.  I  can  give 
you  an  instance  of  it.  I  was  once  travelling  with  a  Dutch 
farmer,  with  his  wagon  and  Hottentots.  "We  unyoked 
and  lay  down  on  the  sand  for  the  night :  there  were 
the  farmer  and  I,  two  Hottentot  men,  and  a  woman — by- 
the-bye,  a  very  fat  one,  and  who  consequently  was  more 
heated  by  the  journey.  During  the  night  a  lion  came  and 
carried  away  the  woman  from  among  us  all,  and  by  his 
tracks,  as  we  found  on  the  following  morning,  he  had 
passed  close  to  the  farmer  and  myself." 


The  Mission  203 

"  Was  the  woman  killed  ?  " 

"  The  night  was  so  dark  that  we  could  see  nothing  ; 
we  were  roused  by  her  shrieks,  and  seized  our  guns,  but 
it  was  of  no  use.  I  recollect  another  instance  which  was 
not  so  tragical.  A  Hottentot  was  carried  off  by  a  lion 
during  the  night,  wrapped  up  in  his  sheep-skin  kross, 
sleeping,  as  they  usually  do,  with  his  face  to  the  ground. 
As  the  lion  trotted  away  with  him,  the  fellow  contrived  to 
wriggle  out  of  his  kross,  and  the  lion  went  off  with  only 
his  mantle." 

"  Well,  I  should  think  one  of  the  krosses  must  be  a 
very  savoury  morsel  for  a  hungry  lion,"  said  the  Major  ; — 
"  but  I  imagine  it  is  almost  time  to  unyoke,  we  must  have 
travelled  nearly  twenty  miles,  and  these  forests  promise 
well  for  the  game  we  are  in  search  of." 

"  I  suspect  that  they  contain  not  only  buffaloes,  but 
elephants  :  however,  we  shall  soon  find  out  by  examining 
the  paths  down  to  the  river,  which  they  make  in  going  for 
water." 

"  I  think  that  yonder  knoll  would  be  a  good  place  to 
fix  our  encampment,  Swinton,"  said  the  Major  ;  "  it  is 
well  shaded  with  mimosas,  and  yet  clear  of  the  main 
forest." 

"  Well,  you  are  Quarter-Master  General,  and  must 
decide." 

The  Major  ordered  Bremen  to  arrange  the  wagons  as 
usual,  and  turn  the  cattle  out  to  feed.  As  soon  as  this 
had  been  accomplished,  they  saddled  their  horses,  and 
awaited  the  return  of  Swanevelt,  who  had  gone  to  recon- 
noitre. Shortly  afterwards  he  returned,  with  the  report 
that  there  were  the  tracks  of  elephants,  buffaloes,  and 
lions,  in  every  direction  by  the  river's  banks  ;  and  as  the 
dogs  would  now  be  of  use,  they  were  ordered  to  be  let 
loose,  which  they  seldom  were,  unless  the  game  was 
large,  and  to  be  regularly  hunted  down.  Our  travellers 
mounted  and  proceeded  into  the  forest,  accompanied  by 
all  the  Hottentots  except  the  cattle-keepers,  and  the 
Bushmen ;    Bremen.  Swanevelt,   and   Omrah   only  being 


204  The  Mission 

on  horse-back,  as  "well  as  themselves.  As  they  rode 
forward  slowly  and  cautiously,  at  the  outset,  Swinton 
asked  the  Major  whether  he  had  ever  shot  buffaloes. 

"  Yes,  in  India/'  replied  the  Major  ;  "  and  desperate 
animals  they  are  in  that  country." 

"  I  was  about  to  say  that  you  will  find  them  such  here  5 
and,  Alexander,  you  must  be  very  careful.  In  the  first 
place,  a  leaden  bullet  is  of  little  use  against  their  tough 
hides,  and,  I  may  almost  say,  impenetrable  foreheads. 
The  best  shot  is  under  the  fore-shoulder." 

"  Our  balls  are  hardened  with  tin,"  observed  Alexander. 

"  I  know  that,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  but  still  they  are 
most  dangerous  animals,  especially  if  you  fall  in  with  a 
single  buffalo.  It  is  much  safer  to  attack  a  herd  ;  but  we 
have  no  time  to  talk  over  the  matter  now,  only,  as  I  say, 
be  very  careful,  and  whatever  you  do,  do  not  approach  one 
which  is  wounded,  even  if  he  be  down  on  his  knees.  But 
here  comes  Bremen  with  news." 

The  Hottentot  came  up  and  announced  that  there  was  a 
large  herd  of  buffaloes  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill,  and 
proposed  that  they  should  take  a  sweep  round  them,  so  as 
to  drive  them  towards  the  river. 

This  proposal  was  considered  good,  and  was  acted 
upon  ;  and,  after  riding  about  a  mile,  they  gained  the 
position  which  seemed  the  most  desirable.  The  dogs 
were  then  let  loose,  and  the  Hottentots,  on  foot,  spread 
themselves  on  every  side,  shouting  so  as  to  drive  the 
animals  before  them.  The  herd  collected  together,  and 
for  a  short  while  stood  at  bay  with  the  large  bulls  in 
front,  and  then  set  off  through  the  forest  towards  the 
river,  followed  by  all  the  hunters  on  horse  and  on  foot. 
In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  whole  herd  had  taken  refuge 
in  a  large  pool  in  the  river,  which,  with  the  reeds  and 
rushes,  and  small  islands  in  the  centre,  occupied  a  long 
slip  of  ground. 

The  Major,  with  Swanevelt  and  two  other  Hottentots, 
proceeded  farther  up  the  river,  that  they  might  cross  it, 
before  the  attack  commenced,  and  the  others  agreed  to 


The  Mission  205 

wait  until  the  signal  was  given  by  the  Major's  firing.  As 
soon  as  they  heard  the  report  of  the  Major's  rifle,  Swinton 
and  Alexander,  with  their  party,  advanced  to  the  banks  of 
the  river.  They  plunged  in,  and  were  soon  up  to  the 
horses'  girths,  with  the  reeds  far  above  their  heads. 
They  could  hear  the  animals  forcing  their  way  through 
the  reeds,  but  could  not  see  them  ;  and,  after  some  severe 
labour,  Swinton  said — "  Alexander,  it  will  be  prudent  for 
us  to  go  back;  we  can  do  nothing  here,  and  we  shall 
stand  a  chance  of  being  shot  by  our  own  people,  who 
cannot  see  us.  We  must  leave  the  dogs  to  drive  them 
out,  or  the  Hottentots  and  Bushmen ;  but  we  must  regain 
the  banks." 

Just  as  Swinton  said  this,  a  loud  rushing  was  heard 
through  the  reeds.  "  Look  out !  "  cried  he  ;  but  he  could 
say  no  more  before  the  reeds  opened,  and  a  large  hippopo- 
tamus rushed  upon  them,  throwing  over  Alexander's  horse 
on  his  side,  and  treading  Alexander  and  his  horse  both 
deep  under  the  water  as  he  passed  over  them  and 
disappeared.  Although  the  water  was  not  more  than  four 
feet  in  depth,  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  horse  and 
rider  could  extricate  themselves  from  the  reeds,  among 
which  they  had  been  jammed  and  entangled ;  and  Alex- 
ander's breath  was  quite  gone  when  he  at  last  emerged. 
Bremen  and  Swinton  hastened  to  give  what  assistance  they 
could,  and  the  horse  was  once  more  on  his  legs.  "  My 
rifle,"  cried  Alexander,  "it  is  in  the  water."  "We  will 
find  it,"  said  Swinton  ;  "haste  up  to  the  banks  as  fast  as 
you  can,  for  you  are  defenceless." 

Alexander  thought  it  advisable  to  follow  Swinton's 
advice,  and  with  some  difficulty  regained  the  bank,  where 
he  was  soon  afterwards  followed  by  Swinton  and  Bremen, 
who  had  secured  his  rifle.  Alexander  called  Omrah,  and 
sent  him  to  the  caravan  for  another  rifle,  and  then,  for  the 
first  time,  he  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  what  a  brute.  It  was 
lucky  the  water  was  deep,  or  he  would  have  jammed  me 
on  the  head,  so  that  I  never  should  have  risen  up 
again." 


206  The  Mission 

"  You  have  indeed  had  a  providential  escape,  Alex- 
ander," replied  Swinton ;  "is  your  horse  hurt?" 

"  He  must  be,  I  should  think,"  said  Alexander,  "  for 
the  animal  trod  upon  him,  but  he  does  not  appear  to  show 
it  at  present." 

In  the  meantime,  several  shots  were  fired  from  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  by  the  Major  and  his  party,  and 
occasionally  the  head  or  horns  of  a  buffalo  were  seen 
above  the  reeds  by  the  Hottentots,  who  remained  with 
Swinton  and  Alexander ;  but  the  animals  still  adhered  to 
their  cover.  Omrah  having  brought  another  rifle,  Bremen 
then  proposed  that  the  Hottentots,  Bushmen,  and  dogs 
should  force  their  way  through  the  reeds  and  attempt  to 
drive  the  animals  out ;  in  which  there  would  be  no 
danger,  as  the  animals  could  not  charge  with  any  effect  in 
the  deep  water  and  thick  rushes. 

"  Provided  they  don't  meet  with  a  hippopotamus,"  said 
Alexander,  laughing. 

"  Won't  say  a  word  about  him,  sir,"  replied  Bremen, 
who  then  went  and  gave  the  directions. 

The  Hottentots  and  Bushmen,  accompanied  by  the  dogs, 
then  went  into  the  reeds,  and  their  shouting  and  barking 
soon  drove  out  some  of  the  buffaloes  on  the  opposite  side, 
and  the  reports  of  the  guns  were  heard. 

At  last  one  came  out  on  that  side  of  the  river  where 
Alexander  and  Swinton  were  watching ;  Swinton  fired, 
and  the  animal  fell  on  its  knees  ;  a  shot  from  Alexander 
brought  it  down  dead,  and  turned  on  its  side.  One  of 
the  Bushmen  ran  up  to  the  carcase,  and  was  about  to  use 
his  knife,  when  another  buffalo  charged  from  the  reeds, 
caught  the  Bushman  on  his  horns,  and  threw  him  many 
yards  in  the  air.  The  Bushman  fell  among  the  reeds  behind 
the  buffalo,  which  in  vain  looked  about  for  his  enemy, 
when  a  shot  from  Bremen  brought  him  to  the  ground. 

Shortly  afterwards  the  Bushman  made  his  appearance 
from  the  reeds  ;  he  was  not  at  all  hurt,  with  the  exception 
of  a  graze  from  the  horns  of  the  animal,  and  a  contusion  of 
the  ribs. 


The  Mission  207 

The  chase  now  became  warm  ;  the  shouting  of  the 
Hottentots,  the  barking  of  the  dogs,  and  the  bellowing  of 
the  herd,  which  were  forcing  their  way  through  the  reeds 
before  them,  were  very  exciting.  By  the  advice  of 
Swinton,  they  took  up  their  position  on  a  higher  ground, 
where  the  horses  had  good  footing,  in  case  the  buffaloes 
should  charge. 

As  soon  as  they  arrived  there,  they  beheld  a  scene  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river,  about  one  hundred  yards  from 
them,  which  filled  them  with  anxiety  and  terror;  the 
Major's  horse  was  galloping  away,  and  the  Major  not  to 
be  seen.  Under  a  large  tree,  Swanevelt  was  in  a  sitting 
posture,  holding  his  hands  to  his  body  as  if  severely 
wounded,  his  horse  lying  by  his  side,  and  right  before  him 
an  enormous  bull  buffalo,  standing  motionless ;  the  blood 
was  streaming  from  the  animal's  nostrils,  and  it  was  evi- 
dently tottering  from  weakness  and  loss  of  blood ;  at  last 
it  fell. 

"  I  fear  there  is  mischief  done,"  cried  Swinton  ;  "  where 
can  the  Major  be,  and  the  two  Hottentots  who  were  with 
him  ?  Swanevelt  is  hurt  and  his  horse  killed,  that  is 
evident.  We  had  better  call  them  off  and  let  the  buffaloes 
remain  quiet,  or  escape  as  they  please." 

"  There  is  the  Major,"  said  Alexander,  "  and  the 
Hottentots  too ;  they  are  not  hurt,  don't  you  see  them  ? 
they  were  up  the  trees — thank  God." 

They  now  observed  the  Major  run  up  to  Swanevelt,  and 
presently  the  two  Hottentots  went  in  pursuit  of  the 
Major's  horse.  Shortly  afterwards,  Swanevelt,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  Major,  got  upon  his  legs,  and,  taking  up 
his  gun,  walked  slowly  away. 

"  No  great  harm  done,  after  all,"  said  Alexander ; 
"  God  be  praised  —  but  here  come  the  whole  herd, 
Swinton." 

"  Let  them  go,  my  good  fellow,"  replied  Swinton,  "  we 
have  had  enough  of  buffalo-hunting  for  the  present." 

The  whole  herd  had  now  broken  from  the  reeds  about 
iifty  paces  from  where  they  were  stationed,  and  with  their 


208  The  Mission 

tails  raised,  tossing  with  their  horns,  and  bellowing  with 
rage  and  fear,  darted  out  of  the  reeds,  dripping  with  slime 
and  mud,  and  rushed  off  towards  the  forest.  In  a  few 
seconds  they  were  out  of  sight. 

"  A  good  riddance,"  said  Swinton ;  "I  hope  the  Major 
is  now  satisfied  with  buffalo-hunting." 

"I  am,  at  all  events,"  replied  Alexander.     "  I  feel  very- 
sore  and  stiff.     What  a  narrow  escape  that  Bushman  had." 
"  Yes,  he  had   indeed ;  but,  Alexander,  your  horse  is 
not  well :   he  can  hardly  breathe.     You  had  better  dis- 
mount." 

Alexander  did  so,  and  unloosed  his  girths.  Bremen  got 
off  his  horse,  and,  offering  it  to  Alexander,  took  the  bridle 
of  the  other  and  examined  him. 

"He  has  his  ribs  broken,  sir,"  said  the  Hottentot; 
"  two  of  them,  if  not  more." 

"  No  wonder,  poor  fellow  •,  lead  him  gently,  Bremen. 
Oh,  here  comes  the  Major.  Now  we  shall  know  what  has 
occurred ;  and  there  is  Swanevelt  and  the  two  men." 

"  Well,  Major,  pray  tell  us  your  adventures,  for  you 
have  frightened  us  dreadfully." 

"  Not  half  so  much  as  I  have  been  frightened  myself," 
replied  the  Major;  "we  have  all  had  a  narrow  escape,  I 
can  assure  you,  and  Swanevelt's  horse  is  dead." 
"  Is  Swanevelt  hurt  ? " 

"  No,  he  was  most  miraculously  preserved  ;  the  horn  of 
the  buffalo  has  grazed  the  whole  length  of  his  body,  and 
yet  not  injured  him.  But  let  us  go  to  the  caravan  and 
have  something  to  drink,  and  then  I  will  tell  you  all  about 
it — I  am  quite  done  up,  and  my  tongue  cleaves  to  the  roof 
of  my  mouth." 

As  soon  as  they  had  arrived  at  the  caravan  and  dis- 
mounted, the  Major  drank  some  water,  and  then  gave  his 
narrative.  "We  had  several  shots  on  our  side  of  the 
river,  for  the  buffaloes  had  evidently  an  intention  of 
crossing  over,  had  we  not  turned  them.  We  had  killed 
two,  when  a  bull  buffalo  charged  from  the  reeds  upon 
Swanevelt,  and  before  he  could  turn  his  horse  and  put  him 


The  Mission  209 

to  his  speed,  the  horns  of  the  buffalo  had  ripped  up  the 
poor  animal,  and  he  fell  with  Swanevelt  under  him.  The 
enraged  brute  disengaged  himself  from  the  horse,  and 
made  a  second  charge  upon  Swanevelt ;  but  he  twisted  on 
one  side,  and  the  horn  only  grazed  him,  as  I  have  men- 
tioned. I  then  fired  and  wounded  the  animal.  He  charged 
immediately,  and  I  turned  my  horse,  but,  from  fright,  he 
wheeled  so  suddenly,  that  I  lost  my  stirrups,  and  my 
saddle  turned  round. 

"I  found  that  I  could  not  recover  my  seat,  and  that  I 
was  gradually  sliding  under  the  horse's  belly,  when  he 
passed  under  a  tree,  and  I  caught  a  branch  and  swung 
myself  on  to  it,  just  as  the  buffalo  which  was  close  behind 
us,  came  up  to  me.  As  he  passed  under,  his  back  hit  my 
leg ;  so  you  may  imagine  it  was  *  touch  and  go.'  The 
animal  perceiving  that  the  horse  left  him,  and  I  was  not 
on  it,  quitted  his  pursuit,  and  came  back  bellowing  and 
roaring,  and  looking  everywhere  for  me. 

"  At  last  it  perceived  Swanevelt,  who  had  disengaged 
himself  from  the  dead  horse,  and  was  sitting  under  the 
tree,  apparently  much  hurt,  as  he  is,  poor  fellow,  although 
not  seriously.  It  immediately  turned  back  to  him,  and 
would  certainly  have  gored  him  to  death,  had  not  Kloet, 
who  was  up  in  a  tree,  fired  at  the  animal  and  wounded 
him  mortally — for  his  career  was  stopped  as  he  charged 
towards  Swanevelt,  and  was  not  ten  yards  from  him.  The 
animal  could  proceed  no  further,  and  there  he  stood  until 
he  fell  dead." 

"We  saw  that  portion  of  the  adventure  ourselves, 
Major,"  said  Swinton ;  "  and  now  we  will  tell  you  our 
own,  which  has  been  equally  full  of  incident  and  danger." 
Swinton,  having  related  what  had  passed  on  his  side  of  the 
river,  the  Major  observed  : 

"  You  may  talk  about  lions — but  I  had  rather  go  to  ten 
lion-hunts  than  one  more  buffalo-hunt.  I  have  had  enough 
of  buffaloes  for  all  my  life." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  replied  Swinton  ^ 
"  for  they  are  most  ferocious  and  dangerous  animals,  as 
m  o 


210  The  Mission 

you  may  now  acknowledge;  and  the  difficulty  of  giving 
them  a  mortal  wound  renders  the  attack  of  them  very 
hazardous.  I  have  seen  and  heard  enough  of  buffalo-hunt- 
ing, to  tell  you  that  you  have  been  fortunate,  although  you 
have  lost  one  horse  and  have  another  very  much  hurt, — 
but  here  come  the  spoils  of  the  chase  ;  at  all  events,  we 
will  benefit  by  the  day's  sport,  and  have  a  good  meal." 

"  I  can't  eat  now,"  said  Alexander;  "  I  am  very  stiff — 
I  shall  go  and  lie  down  for  an  hour  or  two." 

"  And  so  shall  I,"  said  the  Major  ;  "I  have  no 
appetite." 

"  Well,  then,  we  will  all  meet  at  supper,"  said  Swinton. 
"  In  the  meantime  I  shall  see  if  I  can  be  of  any  use  to 
Swanevelt.     Where's  Omrah  ? " 

"I  saw  him  and  Begum  going  out  together  just  now," 
said  the  Major  ;  "  what  for,  I  do  not  know." 

"  Oh !  I  told  him  to  get  some  of  the  Bushman  roots," 
said  Alexander.  "  They  are  as  good  as  potatoes  when 
boiled ;  and  he  has  taken  the  monkey  to  find  them." 

The  Major  and  Alexander  remained  on  their  beds  till 
supper-time,  when  Mahommed  woke  them  up.  They  found 
themselves  much  refreshed  by  their  sleep,  and  also  found 
that  their  appetites  had  returned.  Buffalo-steaks  and  fried 
Bushman  roots  were  declared  to  be  a  very  good  substitute 
for  beef-steaks  and  fried  potatoes  ;  and  after  they  had  made 
a  hearty  meal,  Alexander  inquired  of  Swinton  what  he  had 
seen  of  buffalo-hunting,  when  he  had  been  at  the  Cape 
before. 

"  I  have  only  been  once  or  twice  engaged  in  a  buffalo- 
hunt  ;  but  I  can  tell  you  what  I  have  heard  and  what  I 
have  collected,  from  my  own  knowledge  as  to  the  nature 
of  the  animal,  of  which  indeed  to-day  you  have  had  a  very 
good  proof.  I  told  you  this  morning,  that  a  single  buffalo 
was  more  dangerous  than  a  herd ;  and  the  reason  is  this  : 
At  the  breeding  season,  the  fiercest  bulls  drive  the  others 
away  from  the  herd,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  elephants 
do ;  and  these  solitary  buffaloes  are  extremely  dangerous, 
as  they  do  not  wait  to  be  attacked,  but  will  attack  a  man 


The  Mission  2 1 1 

without  any  provocation.  They  generally  conceal  them- 
selves, and  rush  out  upon  you  unawares,  which  makes  it 
more  difficult  to  escape  from  them.  They  are  so  bold,  that 
they  do  not  fear  the  lion  himself;  and  I  have  been  told  by 
the  Dutch  boors,  that  when  a  buffalo  has  killed  one  of  their 
comrades  by  goring  and  tossing  him,  it  will  not  leave  its 
victim  for  hours,  but  continue  to  trample  on  him  with  its 
hoofs,  crushing  the  body  with  its  knees  as  an  elephant 
does,  and  with  its  rough  tongue  stripping  off  the  skin  as  far 
as  it  can.  It  does  not  do  all  this  at  one  time,  but  it  leaves 
the  body,  and  returns  again,  as  if  to  glut  its  vengeance." 

"  What  a  malicious  brute  !  " 

"  Such  is  certainly  its  character.  I  recollect  a  history  of 
a  buffalo-hunting  adventure,  told  me  by  a  Dutch  farmer, 
who  was  himself  an  eye-witness  to  the  scene.  He  had 
gone  out  with  a  party  to  hunt  a  herd  of  buffaloes,  which 
were  grazing  on  a  piece  of  marshy  ground,  sprinkled  with 
a  few  mimosa  trees.  As  they  could  not  get  within  shot  of 
the  herd,  without  crossing  a  portion  of  the  marsh,  which 
was  not  safe  for  horses,  they  agreed  to  leave  their  steeds 
in  charge  of  two  Hottentots,  and  to  advance  on  foot ;  think- 
ing that  in  case  any  of  the  buffaloes  should  charge  them, 
it  would  be  easy  to  escape  by  running  back  to  the  marsh, 
which  would  bear  the  weight  of  a  man,  but  not  of  a  horse, 
much  less  that  of  a  buffalo. 

"They  advanced  accordingly  over  the  marsh,  and  being 
concealed  by  some  bushes,  they  had  the  good  fortune  to 
bring  down,  with  the  first  volley,  three  of  the  fattest  of 
the  herd ;  and  also  so  severely  wounded  the  great  bull, 
which  was  the  leader  of  the  herd,  that  he  dropped  down 
on  his  knees,  bellowing  most  furiously.  Thinking  that 
the  animal  was  mortally  wounded,  the  foremost  of  the 
huntsmen  walked  out  in  front  of  the  bushes  from  which 
they  had  fired,  and  began  to  reload  his  musket  as  he 
advanced,  in  order  to  give  the  animal  a  finishing  shot. 
But  no  sooner  did  the  enraged  animal  see  the  man  advanc- 
ing, than  he  sprang  up  and  charged  headlong  at  him.  The 
man  threw  down  his  gun,  and  ran  towards  the  marsh,  but 


2J2  The  Mission 

the  beast  was  so  close  upon  him,  that  he  despaired  of 
escaping  by  that  direction,  and  turning  suddenly  round  a 
clump  of  copsewood,  began  to  climb  an  old  mimosa  tree 
which  stood  close  to  it. 

"  The  buffalo  was,  however,  too  quick  for  him.  Bound- 
ing forward  with  a  roar,  which  the  farmer  told  me  was  one 
of  the  most  hideous  and  appalling  sounds  that  he  ever 
heard,  he  caught  the  poor  fellow  with  his  terrible  horns, 
just  as  he  had  nearly  got  out  of  reach,  and  tossed  him  in 
the  air  with  such  force,  that  after  whirling  round  and  round 
to  a  great  height,  the  body  fell  into  the  fork  of  the  branches 
of  the  tree.  The  buffalo  went  round  the  tree  roaring,  and 
looking  for  the  man,  until,  exhausted  by  wounds  and  loss 
of  blood,  it  again  fell  down  on  its  knees.  The  other 
hunters  then  attacked  and  killed  him ;  but  they  found  their 
comrade,  who  was  still  hanging  in  the  tree,  quite  dead." 

"  Well ;  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  such  would  have 
been  the  fate  of  Swanevelt  or  of  me,  had  the  brute  got 
hold  of  us,"  said  the  Major  ;  "  I  never  saw  such  a  malig- 
nant, diabolical  expression  in  any  animal's  countenance  as 
there  was  upon  that  buffalo's.  A  lion  is,  I  should  say,  a 
gentleman  and  man  of  honour  compared  to  such  an  evil- 
disposed  ruffian." 

"  Well,  Major,  you  have  only  to  let  them  alone  ;  recol- 
lect, you  were  the  aggressor,"  said  Swinton,  laughing. 

"  Very  true  ;  I  never  wish  to  see  one  again." 

"  And  I  never  wish  to  be  in  the  way  of  a  hippopotamus 
again,  I  can  assure  you,"  said  Alexander,  "  for  a  greater 
want  of  politeness  I  never  met  with." 

During  this  conversation  the  Hottentots  and  Bushmen 
at  the  other  fires  had  not  been  idle.  The  Hottentots  had 
fried  and  eaten,  and  fried  and  eaten,  till  they  could  hold 
no  more  ;  and  the  Bushmen,  who  in  the  morning  looked 
as  thin  and  meagre  as  if  they  had  not  had  a  meal  for 
a  month,  were  now  so  stuffed  that  they  could  hardly 
walk,  and  their  lean  stomachs  were  distended  as  round  as 
balls.  The  Bushman  who  had  been  tossed  by  the  buffalo 
came  up  and  asked  for  a  little  tobacco,  at  the  same  time 


The  Mission  213 

smiling  and  patting  his  stomach,  which  was  distended  to  a 
most  extraordinary  size. 

"  Yes,  let  us  give  them  some,"  said  Alexander  ;  "  it 
will  complete  their  day's  happiness.  Did  you  ever  see  a 
fellow  so  stuffed  ?     I  wonder  he  does  not  burst." 

"It  is  their  custom.  They  starve  for  days,  and  then 
gorge  in  this  way  when  an  opportunity  offers,  which  is 
but  seldom.  Their  calendar,  such  as  it  is,  is  mainly  from 
recollections  of  feasting  ;  and  I  will  answer  for  it,  that  if 
one  Bushman  were  on  some  future  day  to  ask  another 
when  such  a  thing  took  place,  he  would  reply,  just  before 
or  just  after  the  white  men  killed  the  buffaloes." 

"  How  do  they  live  in  general  ?  " 

"  They  live  upon  roots  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  ; 
upon  locusts  when  a  flight  takes  place ;  upon  lizards, 
beetles — anything.  Occasionally  they  procure  game,  but 
not  very  often.  They  are  obliged  to  lie  in  wait  for  it,  and 
wound  it  with  their  poisoned  arrows,  and  then  they 
follow  its  track  and  look  for  it  the  next  day.  Subtle 
as  the  poison  is,  they  only  cut  out  the  part  near  to  the 
wound,  and  eat  the  rest  of  the  animal.  They  dig  pitholes 
for  the  hippopotamus  and  rhinoceros,  and  occasionally  take 
them.  They  poison  the  pools  for  the  game  also ;  but 
their  living  is  very  precarious,  and  they  often  suffer  the 
extremities  of  hunger." 

"  Is  that  the  cause,  do  you  imagine,  of  their  being  so 
diminutive  a  race,  Swinton  ?  " 

"  No  doubt  of  it.  Continual  privation  and  hardships 
from  generation  to  generation,  have,  I  have  no  doubt, 
dwindled  them  down  to  what  you  see." 

"  How  is  it  that  these  Bushmen  are  so  familiar  ?  I 
thought  that  they  were  savage  and  irreclaimable." 

"  They  are  what  are  termed  tame  Bushmen  ;  that  is, 
they  have  lived  near  the  farmers,  and  have,  by  degrees, 
become  less  afraid  of  the  Europeans.  Treated  kindly, 
they  have  done  good  in  return  to  the  farmers  by  watching 
their  sheep,  and  performing  other  little  services,  and  have 
been  rewarded  with  tobacco.     This  has  given  them  con- 


214  The  Mission 

fidence  to  a  certain  degree.  But  we  must  expect  to  meet 
with  others  that  are  equally  wild,  and  who  will  be  very 
mischievous ;  attempting  to  drive  off  our  cattle,  and 
watching  in  ambush  all  round  our  caravan,  ready  for  any 
pilfering  that  they  can  successfully  accomplish  ;  and  then 
we  shall  discover  that  we  are  in  their  haunts,  without  even 
seeing  them." 

"  How  so  ?  " 

"  Because  it  will  only  be  by  their  thefts  that  we  shall 
find  it  out. — But  it  is  time  for  bed,  and  as  to-morrow  is 
Sunday  you  will  have  a  day  of  rest,  which  I  think  you 
both  require." 

"  I  do,"  replied  Alexander,  "  so  good-night  to  you 
both." 


Chapter  XXII 

As  arranged,  they  did  not  travel  on  the  Sunday.  Early  in 
the  morning  the  oxen  and  horses  and  sheep  were  turned 
out  to  pasture :  all  except  the  horse  which  had  been 
ridden  by  Alexander  on  the  preceding  day,  and  which 
was  found  to  be  suffering  so  much,  that  they  took 
away  a  large  quantity  of  blood  from  him,  before  he  was 
relieved. 

The  Bushmen  still  remained  with  them,  and  were  likely 
so  to  do  as  long  as  there  was  any  prospect  of  food.  The 
four  buffaloes  which  had  been  killed,  as  well  as  the  horse 
which  had  been  gored  to  death,  were  found  picked  clean 
to  the  bones  on  the  following  day,  by  the  hyenas  and 
other  animals  which  were  heard  prowling  during  the 
whole  night.  But  as  large  quantities  of  the  buffalo-flesh 
had  been  cut  off,  and  hung  upon  the  trees  near  the 
caravan,  there  was  more  than  sufficient  for  a  second 
feast  for  the  Bushmen  and  Hottentots,  and  there  was 
nothing  but  frying  and  roasting  during  the  whole  of 
the  day. 

The    sun   was  intensely  hot,  and  Alexander  and   the 


The  Mission  2 1 5 

Major  both  felt  so  fatigued  from  the  exertions  of  the  day 
before,  that  after  breakfast  they  retired  to  their  wagons, 
and  Swinton  did  not  attempt  to  disturb  them,  as  they  were 
in  a  sound  sleep,  till  the  evening,  when  they  were  much 
refreshed  and  very  hungry.  Swinton  said,  he  had  thought 
it  better  that  they  should  not  be  awakened,  as  the  heat 
was  so  overpowering,  and  they  could  perform  divine 
service  in  the  evening  if  they  thought  proper,  when  it 
would  be  cooler.  This  was  agreed  to,  and,  after  an  early 
supper,  they  summoned  all  the  Hottentots,  who,  although 
gorged,  were  still  unwilling  to  leave  their  fires  ;  as  they 
said  the  Bushmen  would  devour  all  the  flesh  that  was  left, 
in  their  absence. 

This  remonstrance  was  not  listened  to,  and  they  all 
assembled.  The  prayers  were  read  and  the  service  gone 
through  by  the  light  of  a  large  fire,  for  it  was  very  dark 
before  the  service  was  finished.  The  Bushmen,  as  the 
Hottentots  prophesied,  had  taken  advantage  of  their 
absence,  to  help  themselves  very  liberally ;  and  as 
Swinton  read  the  prayers,  the  eyes  of  the  Hottentots  were 
continually  turning  round  to  their  own  fires,  where  the 
Bushmen  were  throwing  on  large  pieces  of  buffalo-flesh, 
and  before  they  were  even  heated  through,  were  chewing 
them  and  tearing  them  to  pieces  with  their  teeth. 

Never  perhaps  was  there  a  congregation  whose  attention 
was  so  divided,  and  who  were  more  anxious  for  the 
conclusion  of  the  service.  This  uneasiness  shown  by  the 
Hottentots,  appeared  at  last  to  be  communicated  to  the 
oxen,  which  were  tied  up  round  the  wagons.  The  fire 
required  replenishing,  but  none  of  the  Hottentots  moved 
to  perform  the  office ;  perhaps  they  thought  that  if 
Swinton  could  no  longer  see,  the  service  must  conclude. 
But  Swinton  knew  it  by  heart,  and  continued  reading  the 
Commandments,  which  was  the  last  portion  which  he 
read,  and  Alexander  and  the  Major  repeated  the  responses. 
The  Major,  whose  face  was  towards  the  cattle,  had 
observed  their  uneasiness,  and  guessed  the  cause,  but  did 
not  like  to  interrupt  the  service,  as   it  was  just   over. 


216  The  Mission 

Begum  began  clinging  to  him  in  the  way  she  always  did 
when  she  was  afraid ;  Swinton  had  just  finished,  and  the 
Major  was  saying,  "  Swinton,  depend  upon  it,"  when  a 
roar  like  thunder  was  heard,  and  a  dark  mass  passed  over 
their  heads. 

The  bellowing  and  struggling  of  the  oxen  was  almost 
instantaneously  succeeded  by  a  lion,  with  an  ox  borne  on 
his  shoulder,  passing  right  through  the  whole  congrega- 
tion, sweeping  away  the  remnants  of  the  fire  and  the 
Hottentots  right  and  left,  and  vanishing  in  a  moment  from 
their  sight.  As  may  be  imagined,  all  was  confusion  and 
alarm.  Some  screamed,  some  shouted  and  ran  for  their 
guns,  but  it  was  too  late.  On  examination,  it  was  found 
that  the  lion  had  seized  the  ox  which  had  been  tied  up 
near  to  where  they  were  sitting  ;  their  fire  being  nearly 
extinguished,  and  the  one  which  should  have  been  kept 
alight  next  to  it  having  been  altogether  neglected  by  the 
Hottentots,  in  their  anxiety  to  keep  up  those  on  which 
they  had  been  broiling  their  buffalo-steaks. 

The  leather  thongs  by  which  the  ox  had  been  tied  up 
were  snapped  like  threads,  and  many  of  the  other  oxen 
had,  in  their  agony  of  fear,  broken  their  fastenings  and 
escaped.  As  the  lion  bounded  away  through  the  assem- 
bled party,  it  appeared  as  if  the  ox  was  not  a  feather's 
weight  t6  him.  He  had  however  stepped  rather  roughly 
upon  two  of  the  Hottentots,  who  lay  groaning,  as  if  they 
had  been  severely  hurt ;  but  upon  examination  it  was 
found  that  they  had  only  been  well  scratched  and  covered 
with  ashes.  The  Bushmen,  however,  had  left  their  meal, 
and  with  their  bows  and  small  poisoned  arrows  had  gone 
in  pursuit.  Bremen  and  one  or  two  of  the  Hottentots 
proposed  also  to  go,  but  our  travellers  would  not  permit 
them.  About  an  hour  afterwards  the  Bushmen  returned, 
and  Omrah  had  communication  with  them ;  and  through 
Bremen  they  learnt  that  the  Bushmen  had  come  up  with 
the  lion  about  a  mile  distant,  and  had  discharged  many  of 
their  arrows  at  him,  and  they  were  convinced,  with  effect, 
as  a  heavy  growl  or  an  angry  roar  was  the  announcement, 


The  Mission  217 

when  he  was  hit ;  but  although  he  was  irritated,  he 
continued  his  repast.  Omrah  then  said,  "  Lion  dead  to- 
morrow,— Bushmen  find  him." 

"  Well,"  said  Alexander,  as  they  went  to  their  wagons, 
which,  in  consequence  of  this  event,  and  their  having  to 
make  up  large  fires  before  they  went  to  bed,  they  did  not 
do  till  late,  "  I  believe  this  is  the  first  time  that  divine 
service  was  ever  wound  up  by  such  intrusion." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  but  I  think  it  proves 
that  we  have  more  cause  for  prayer,  surrounded  as  we  are 
by  such  danger.  The  lion  might  have  taken  one  of  us, 
and  by  this  time  we  should  have  suffered  a  horrid  death." 

"  I  never  felt  the  full  force  of  the  many  similes  and 
comparisons  in  the  Scriptures,  where  the  lion  is  so  often 
introduced,  till  now,"  observed  Alexander. 

"  It  was  indeed  a  most  awful  sermon  after  the  prayers," 
said  the  Major.  "I  trust  never  to  hear  such  a  one  again. 
But  is  it  not  our  own  fault  ?  This  is  the  second  time  that 
one  of  our  oxen  has  been  carried  ofF  by  a  lion,  from  the 
circle  of  fires  not  being  properly  attended  to.  It  is  the 
neglect  of  the  Hottentots  certainly ;  but  if  they  are  so 
neglectful,  we  should  attend  to  them  ourselves." 

"  It  will  be  as  well  to  punish  them  for  their  neglect," 
said  Swinton,  "  by  stopping  their  tobacco  for  the  week ; 
for  if  they  find  that  we  attend  to  the  fires  ourselves,  they 
will  not  keep  one  in,  that  you  may  depend  upon.  How- 
ever, we  will  discuss  that  point  to-morrow,  so  good-night." 

Omrah  came  to  the  Major  the  next  morning,  before  the 
oxen  were  yoked,  to  say  that  the  Bushmen  had  found  the 
lion,  and  that  he  was  not  yet  dead,  but  nearly  so ;  that  the 
animal  had  dragged  away  that  portion  of  the  ox  that  he 
did  not  eat,  about  half  a  mile  further  ;  that  there  he  had 
lain  down,  and  he  was  so  sick  that  he  could  not  move. 

At  this  intelligence  they  mounted  their  horses,  and, 
guided  by  the  Bushmen,  arrived  at  the  bush  where  the 
lion  lay.  The  Bushmen  entered  at  once,  for  they  had 
previously  reconnoitred,  and  were  saluted  with  a  low 
snarl,  very  different  from  the  roar  of  the  preceding  night. 


218  The  Mission 

Our  travellers  followed,  and  found  the  noble  creature  in 
his  last  agonies,  his  strength  paralysed,  and  his  eyes  closed. 
One  or  two  of  the  small  arrows  of  the  Bushmen  were  still 
sticking  in  his  hide,  and  did  not  appear  to  have  entered 
more  than  half  an  inch ;  but  the  poison  was  so  subtile, 
that  it  had  rapidly  circulated  through  his  whole  frame ; 
and  while  they  were  looking  down  upon  the  noble  beast, 
it  dropped  its  jaws  and  expired. 

As  our  travellers  turned  back  to  join  the  caravan,  Alex- 
ander observed:  "Those  Bushmen,  diminutive  as  they  are 
in  size,  and  contemptible  as  their  weapons  appear,  must  be 
dangerous  enemies,  when  the  mere  prick  of  one  of  their 
small  arrows  is  certain  death.  What  is  their  poison  com- 
posed of  ? " 

"  Of  the  venom  extracted  from  snakes,  which  is  mixed 
up  with  the  juice  of  the  euphorbia,  and  boiled  down  till  it 
becomes  of  the  consistency  of  glue.  They  then  dip  the 
heads  of  the  arrows  into  it,  and  let  it  dry  on." 

"  Is  then  the  venom  of  snakes  so  active  after  it  has  been 
taken  away  from  the  animal  ? " 

"  Yes,  for  a  considerable  time  after.  I  remember  a 
story,  which  is,  I  believe,  well  authenticated,  of  a  man 
who  had  been  bitten  through  his  boot  by  a  rattle-snake  in 
America.  The  man  died,  and  shortly  afterwards  his  two 
sons  died  one  after  the  other,  with  just  the  same  symptoms 
as  their  father,  although  they  had  not  been  bitten  by 
snakes.  It  was  afterwards  discovered  that  upon  the 
father's  death  the  sons  had  one  after  the  other  taken 
possession  of  and  put  on  his  boots,  and  the  boots  being 
examined,  the  fang  of  the  rattle-snake  was  discovered  to 
have  passed  through  the  leather  and  remained  there.  The 
fang  had  merely  grazed  the  skin  of  the  two  sons  when 
they  put  on  the  boots,  and  had  thus  caused  their  death." 

"Are  the  snakes  here  as  deadly  in  their  poison  as  the 
rattle-snake  of  America  ? " 

"  Equally  so — that  is,  two  or  three  of  them ;  some  are 
harmless.  The  most  formidable  is  the  cobra  capella  (not 
the  same  as  the  Indian  snake  of  the  same   name).     It  is 


The  Mission  219 

very  large,  being  usually  five  feet  long ;  but  it  has  been 
found  six  and  even  seven  feet.  This  snake  has  been 
known  to  dart  at  a  man  on  horseback,  and  with  such  force 
as  to  overshoot  his  aim.  His  bite  is  certain  death,  I 
believe,  as  I  never  heard  of  a  man  recovering  from  the 
wound." 

"Well,  that  is  as  bad  as  bad  can  be.  What  is  the 
next?" 

"  The  next  is  what  they  call  the  puff  adder.  It  is  a 
very  heavy,  sluggish  animal,  and  very  thick  in  proportion 
to  its  length,  and  when  attacked  in  front,  it  cannot  make 
any  spring.  It  has,  however,  another  power,  which,  if 
you  are  not  prepared  for  it,  is  perhaps  equally  dangerous 
— that  of  throwing  itself  backward  in  a  most  surprising 
manner.  This  is,  however,  only  when  trod  upon  or 
provoked,  but  its  bite  is  very  deadly.  Then  two  of  the 
mountain  adders  are  among  the  most  dangerous  snakes 
here.  The  mountain  adder  is  small,  and  from  its  not  being 
so  easily  seen  and  so  easily  avoided,  is  very  dangerous,  and 
its  bite  as  fatal  as  the  others." 

"  I  trust  that  is  the  end  of  your  catalogue  ? " 

"  Not  exactly ;  there  is  another,  which  I  have  specimens 
of,  but  whose  faculties  I  have  never  seen  put  to  the  test, 
which  is  called  the  spirting  snake.  It  is  about  three  feet 
long,  and  its  bite,  although  poisonous,  is  not  fatal.  But  it 
has  a  faculty,  from  which  its  name  is  derived,  of  spirting 
its  venom  into  the  face  of  its  assailant,  and  if  the  venom 
enters  the  eye,  at  which  the  animal  darts  it,  immediate 
blindness  ensues.  There  are  a  great  many  other  varieties, 
some  of  which  we  have  obtained  possession  of  during  our 
journey.  Many  of  them  are  venomous,  but  not  so  fatal 
as  the  first  three  I  have  mentioned. 

"  Indeed,  it  is  a  great  blessing  that  the  Almighty  has  not 
made  the  varieties  of  snakes  aggressive  or  fierce, — which 
they  are  not.  Provided,  as  they  are,  with  such  dreadful 
powers,  if  thoy  were  so,  they  would  indeed  be  formidable ; 
but  they  only  act  in  self-defence,  or  when  provoked.  I 
may  as  well  here  observe,  that  the  Hottentots,  when  they 


220  The  Mission 

kill  any  of  the  dangerous  snakes,  invariably  cut  off  the 
head  and  bury  it ;  and  this  they  do,  that  no  one  may  by 
chance  tread  upon  it,  as  they  assert  that  the  poison  of  the 
fangs  is  as  potent  as  ever,  not  only  for  weeks,  but  months 
afterwards." 

"  That  certainly  is  a  corroboration  of  the  story  that  you 
told  us  of  the  rattle-snake's  fang  in  the  boot." 

"  It  is  so ;  but  although  there  are  so  many  renomous 
snakes  in  this  country,  it  is  remarkable  how  very  few 
accidents  or  deaths  occur  from  them.  I  made  an  inquiry 
at  the  Moravian  mission,  where  these  venomous  snakes  are 
very  plentiful,  how  many  people  they  had  lost  by  their 
bites,  and  the  missionaries  told  me  that  out  of  800 
Hottentots  belonging  to  the  mission,  they  had  only  lost 
two  men  by  the  bites  of  snakes  during  a  space  of  seven 
years ;  and  in  other  places  where  I  made  the  same  inquiry, 
the  casualties  were  much  less,  in  proportion  to  the  numbers. 

"  Is  the  boa  constrictor  found  in  this  part  of  Africa  ? " 

'•*  Not  so  far  south  as  we  now  are,  but  it  is  a  few 
degrees  more  to  the  northward.  I  have  never  seen  it,  but 
I  believe  there  is  no  doubt  of  its  existence." 

"The  South  American  Indians  have  a  very  subtile 
poison  with  which  they  kill  their  game.  Are  you  aware, 
Swinton,  of  its  nature  ?    Is  it  like  the  Bushmen's  poison  ?  " 

"I  know  the  poison  well ;  it  was  brought  over  by  Mr 
Waterton,  whose  amusing  works  you  may  have  read.  It 
is  called  the  wourali  poison,  and  is  said  to  be  extracted 
from  a  sort  of  creeping  vine  which  grows  in  the  country. 
The  natives,  however,  add  the  poison  of  snakes  to  the 
extract ;  and  the  preparation  is  certainly  very  fatal,  as  I 
can  bear  witness  to." 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  it  tried  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  have  tried  it  myself.  When  I  was  in  Italy  I 
became  acquainted  with  Mr  W.,  and  he  gave  two  or 
three  of  us,  who  were  living  together,  a  small  quantity, 
not  much  more  than  two  grains  of  mustard  seed  in  size. 
We  purchased  a  young  mule  to  make  the  experiment  upon; 
an  incision  was  made  in  its  shoulder  and  the  poison  inserted 


The  Mission  221 

under  the  skin.  I  think  in  about  six  or  seven  minutes  the 
animal  was  dead.  Mr  W.  said  that  the  effects  would  have 
been  more  instantaneous,  if  the  virtue  of  the  poison  had  not 
somewhat  deteriorated  from  its  having  been  kept  so  long." 

"The  wourali  poison  only  acts  upon  the  nerves,  I 
believe  ?  "  said  the  Major. 

"Only  upon  the  nerves;  and  although  so  fatal,  it  im- 
mediate means  are  resorted  to,  a  person  who  is  apparently 
dead  from  it  may  be  brought  to  life  again  by  the  same 
process  as  is  usual  in  the  recovery  of  drowned  or  suffocated 
people.  A  donkey  upon  which  the  poison  had  acted,  was 
restored  in  this  manner,  and  for  the  remainder  of  his  days 
permitted  to  run  in  Sir  Joseph  Banks's  park.  But  the  poison 
of  snakes  acts  upon  the  blood,  and  therefore  occasions  death 
without  remedy." 

"But  there  are  remedies,  I  believe,  for  even  the  most 
fatal  poisons  ? " 

"  Yes,  in  his  provident  mercy  God  has  been  pleased  to 
furnish  remedies  at  hand,  and  where  the  snake  exists  the 
remedy  is  to  be  found.  The  rattle-snake  root  is  a  cure, 
if  taken  and  applied  immediately  ;  and  it  is  well  known  that 
the  ichneumon,  when  bitten  by  the  cobra  capella,  in  his 
attack  upon  it,  will  hasten  to  a  particular  herb  and  eat  it 
immediately,  to  prevent  the  fatal  effect  of  the  animal's 
bite." 

"  I  once  saw  a  native  of  India,"  said  the  Major,  "  who 
for  a  small  sum  would  allow  himself  to  be  bitten  by  a 
cobra  capella.  He  was  well  provided  with  the  same  plant 
used  by  the  ichneumon,  which  he  swallowed  plentifully, 
and  also  rubbed  on  the  wound.  It  is  impossible  to  say, 
but,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  there  was  no  deception." 

' '  I  think  it  very  possible ;  if  the  plant  will  cure  the 
ichneumon,  why  not  a  man  ?  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
there  are  many  plants  which  possess  virtues  of  which  we 
have  no  knowledge.  Some  few,  and  perhaps  some  of  the 
most  valuable,  we  have  discovered,  but  our  knowledge  of 
the  vegetable  kingdom,  as  far  as  its  medicinal  properties 
are  known,  is  very  slight ;  and  perhaps  many  which  were 


222  The  Mission 

formerly  known  have,  since  the  introduction  of  mineral 
antidotes,  been  lost  sight  of." 

"  "Why,  yes  ;  long  before  chemistry  had  made  any 
advances,  we  do  hear  in  old  romances  of  balsams  of  most 
sovereign  virtues,"  said  Alexander,  laughing. 

"  Which,  I  may  observe,  is  almost  a  proof  that  they  did 
in  reality  exist ;  and  the  more  so,  because  you  will  find 
that  the  knowledge  of  these  sovereign  remedies  was  chiefly 
in  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  the  oldest  nation  upon  the  earth  ; 
and  from  their  constant  communication  with  each  other, 
most  likely  to  have  transmitted  their  knowledge  from 
generation  to  generation." 

"  We  have  also  reason  to  believe  that  not  only  they  had 
peculiar  remedies  in  their  times,  but  also — if  we  are  to  credit 
what  has  been  handed  down  to  us — that  the  art  of  poisoning 
was  much  better  understood,"  said  the  Major. 

"  At  all  events,  they  had  not  the  knowledge  of  chemistry, 
which  now  leads  to  its  immediate  detection,"  replied  Swin- 
ton.  "  But,  Alexander,  there  are  three  hippopotami  lying 
asleep  on  the  side  of  the  river.  Have  you  a  mind  to  try 
your  skill  ? " 

"  No,  not  particularly,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  I  have 
had  enough  of  hippopotami.  By-the-bye,  the  river  is 
much  wider  than  it  was." 

"  Yes,  by  my  calculation,  we  ought  to  travel  no  more 
to  the  westward  after  to-day.  We  must  now  cut  across 
to  the  Yellow  or  Vaal  River.  We  shall  certainly  be  two 
days  without  water  or  pasturage  for  the  cattle,  but  they 
are  in  such  good  condition  that  they  will  not  much  feel  it. 
There  is  a  river  which  we  shall  cross  near  its  head,  but  the 
chance  of  water  is  very  small ;  indeed,  I  believe  we  shall 
find  it  nowhere,  except  in  these  great  arteries,  if  I  may  so 
call  them." 

"  Well ;  I  was  thinking  so  myself,  Swinton,  as  I  looked 
at  the  map  yesterday  when  I  lay  in  my  wagon,"  said  the 
Major ;  "  so  then  to-morrow  for  a  little  variety ;  that  is, 
a  desert." 

"Which  it  will  most   certainly  be,"  replied  Swinton; 


The  Mission 


223 


"  for  except  on  the  banks  of  the  large  rivers  there  is  no 
hopes  of  vegetation  in  this  country  at  this  season  of  the 
year  ;  but  in  another  month  we  may  expect  heavy  falls  of 
rain." 

"  The  Bushmen  have  left  us,  I  perceive,"  said  Alexander. 

"  Yes,  they  have  probably  remained  behind  to  eat  the 
lion." 

"  What,  will  they  eat  it  now  that  it  has  been 
poisoned  ? " 

"  That  makes  no  difference  to  them,  they  merely  cut  out 
the  parts  wounded,  and  invariably  eat  all  the  carcases  of  the 
animals  which  they  kill,  and  apparently  without  any  injury. 
There  is  nothing  which  a  Bushman  will  not  eat.  A  flight 
of  locusts  is  a  great  feast  to  him." 

"  I  cannot  imagine  them  to  be  very  palatable  food." 

"I  have  never  tasted  them,"  replied  Swinton,  "but  I 
should  think  not ;  they  do  not,  however,  eat  them  raw ; 
they  pull  off  their  wings  and  legs,  and  dry  their  bodies ; 
they  then  beat  them  into  a  powder." 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  St  John's  fare  of  locusts  and  wild 
honey  was  the  locust  which  we  are  now  referring  to  ? " 

"  I  do  not  know,  but  I  should  rather  think  not,  and  for 
one  reason,  which  is,  that  although  a  person  in  the  wilder- 
ness might  subsist  upon  these  animals,  if  always  to  be 
procured,  yet  the  flights  of  locusts  are  very  uncertain. 
Now  there  is  a  tree  in  the  country  where  St  John  retired, 
which  is  called  the  locust  tree,  and  produces  a  large  sweet 
bean,  shaped  like  the  common  French  bean,  but  nearly  a 
foot  long,  which  is  very  palatable  and  nutritious.  It  is 
even  now  given  to  cattle  in  large  quantities  ;  and  I  imagine 
that  this  was  the  locust  referred  to  ;  and  I  believe  many 
of  the  commentators  on  the  holy  writings  have  been  of  the 
same  opinion.  I  think  we  have  now  gone  far  enough  for 
to-day  ;  we  may  as  well  halt  here.  Do  you  intend  to 
hunt,  Major  ?     I  see  some  animals  there  at  a  distance." 

"  I  should  say  not,"  said  Alexander ;  "if  we  are  to 
cross  a  desert  tract  to-morrow,  we  had  better  not  fatigue 
our  horses." 


224  The  Mission 

"  Certainly  not.  No,  Swinton,  we  will  remain  quiet, 
unless  game  comes  to  us." 

"  Yes,  and  look  after  our  water-kegs  being  filled,  and 
the  fires  lighted  to-night,"  said  Alexander  ;  "  and  I  trust 
we  may  have  no  more  sermons  from  lions,  although 
Shakespeare  does  say,  '  sermons  from  stones,  and  good  in 
everything.' " 

They  halted  their  caravan  upon  a  rising  ground,  and 
having  taken  the  precaution  to  see  the  water-kegs  filled 
and  the  wood  collected,  they  sat  down  to  dinner  upon 
fried  ham  and  cheese  ;  for  the  Hottentots  had  devoured 
all  the  buffalo-flesh,  and  demanded  a  sheep  to  be  killed 
for  supper.  This  was  consented  to,  although  they  did 
not  deserve  it ;  but  as  their  tobacco  had  been  stopped 
for  their  neglect  of  providing  fuel  and  keeping  up  the  fires, 
it  was  considered  politic  not  to  make  them  too  discontented. 

Alexander  had  been  walking  by  the  side  of  the  river 
with  the  Major,  while  the  Hottentots  were  arranging 
the  camp,  and  Swinton  was  putting  away  some  new 
specimens  in  natural  history,  which  he  had  collected, 
when  Omrah,  who  was  with  them,  put  his  finger  to 
his  lips  and  stopped  them.  As  they  perfectly  under- 
stood what  he  required,  they  stood  still  and  silent. 
Omrah  then  pointed  to  something  which  was  lying  on 
the  low  bank,  under  a  tuft  of  rushes  ;  but  they  could 
not  distinguish  it,  and  Omrah  asked  by  signs  for  the 
Major's  rifle — took  aim  and  fired.  A  loud  splashing 
was  heard  in  the  water,  and  they  pushed  their  way 
through  the  high  grass  and  reeds,  until  they  arrived 
at  the  spot,  when  they  perceived  an  animal  floundering 
in  the  agonies  of  death. 

"  An  alligator  !  "  exclaimed  the  Major  ;  "  well,  I  had 
no  idea  that  there  were  any  here  inland.  They  said 
that  there  were  plenty  at  the  mouths  of  the  rivers, 
on  the  coast  of  the  Eastern  CafFres,  but  I  am  astonished 
to  find  one  here." 

"  What  did  you  fire  at  ? "  asked  Swinton,  who  now 
joined  them. 


The  Mission  2,25 

"  An  alligator,  and  he  is  dead.  I  am  afraid  that  he 
won't  be  very  good  eating,"  replied  the  Major. 

"  That's  not  an  alligator,  Major,"  said  Swinton,  "  and 
it  is  very  good  eating.  It  is  a  large  lizard  of  the  guana 
species,  which  is  found  about  these  rivers  ;  it  is  amphi- 
bious, but  perfectly  harmless,  subsisting  upon  vegetables 
and  insects.  I  tell  you  it  is  a  great  delicacy,  ugly  as  it 
looks.  It  is  quite  dead,  so  let  us  drag  it  out  of  the  water, 
and  send  it  up  to  Mahommed  by  Omrah." 

The  animal,  which  was  about  four  feet  long,  was 
dragged  out  of  the  water  by  the  tail,  and  Omrah  took  it 
to  the  camp. 

"Well,  I  really  thought  it  was  a  small  alligator,"  said 
the  Major  ;  "  but  now  I  perceive  my  mistake.  What  a 
variety  of  lizards  there  appears  to  be  in  this  country." 

"  A  great  many,  from  the  chameleon  upwards,"  replied 
Swinton.  "  By-the-bye,  there  is  one  which  is  said  to  be 
very  venomous.  I  have  heard  many  well-authenticated 
stories  of  the  bite  being  not  only  very  dangerous,  but 
in  some  instances  fatal.  I  have  specimens  of  the  animal  in 
my  collection.     It  is  called  here  the  geitje." 

"Well,  it  is  rather  remarkable,  but  we  have  in  India 
a  small  lizard,  called  the  gecko  by  the  natives,  which  is 
said  to  be  equally  venomous.  I  presume  it  must  be  the 
same  animal,  and  it  is  singular  that  the  names  should  vary 
so  little.  I  have  never  seen  an  instance  of  its  poisonous 
powers,  but  I  have  seen  a  whole  company  of  sepoys  run 
out  of  their  quarters  because  they  have  heard  the  animal 
make  its  usual  cry  in  the  thatch  of  the  building  ;  they  say 
that  it  drops  down  upon  people  from  the  roof." 

"  Probably  the  same  animal ;  and  a  strong  corroboration 
that  the  report  of  its  being  venomous  is  with  good 
foundation." 

"  And  yet  if  we  were  to  make  the  assertion  in  England, 
we  should  in  all  probability  not  be  believed." 

"  Not  by  many,  I  grant — not  by  those  who  only  know 
a  little  j  but  by  those  who  are  well  informed,  you  probably 
would  be.  The  fact  is,  from  a  too  ready  credulity,  we 
m  p 


226  The  Mission 

have  now  turned  to  almost  a  total  scepticism,  unless  we 
have  ocular  demonstration.  In  the  times  of  Marco  Pclo, 
Sir  John  Mandeville,  and  others,  say  in  the  fifteenth 
century,  when  there  were  but  few  travellers  and  but  little 
education,  a  traveller  might  assert  almost  anything,  and 
gain  credence  ;  latterly  a  traveller  hardly  dare  assert  any- 
thing. Le  Vaillant  and  Bruce,  who  travelled  in  the  South 
and  North  of  Africa,  were  both  stigmatised  as  liars,  when 
they  published  their  accounts  of  what  they  had  seen,  and 
yet  every  tittle  has  since  been  proved  to  be  correct. 
However,  as  people  now  are  better  informed,  they  do  not 
reject  so  positively  ;  for  they  have  certain  rules  to  guide 
them  between  the  possible  and  the  impossible." 

"  How  do  you  mean  ? " 

"  I  mean,  for  instance,  that  if  a  person  was  to  tell  me 
that  he  had  seen  a  mermaid,  with  the  body  of  a  woman 
and  the  scaly  tail  of  a  fish,  I  should  at  once  say  that  I 
could  not  believe  him.  And  why  ?  because  it  is  contrary 
to  the  laws  of  nature.  The  two  component  parts  of  the 
animal  could  not  be  combined,  as  the  upper  portion  would 
belong  to  the  mammalia,  and  be  a  hot-blooded  animal,  the 
lower  to  a  cold-blooded  class  of  natural  history.  Such  a 
junction  would,  therefore,  be  impossible.  But  there  are, 
I  have  no  doubt,  many  animals  still  undiscovered,  or 
rather  still  unknown  to  Europeans,  the  description  of 
which  may  at  first  excite  suspicion,  if  not  doubt.  But,  as 
I  have  before  observed,  the  account  would,  in  all  proba- 
bility, not  be  rejected  by  a  naturalist,  although  it  might 
be  by  people  without  much  knowledge  of  the  animal 
kingdom,  who  would  not  be  able  to  judge  by  comparison 
whether  the  existence  of  such  an  animal  was  credible. 
Even  fabulous  animals  have  had  their  origin  from  existing 
ones.  The  unicorn  is,  no  doubt,  the  gemsbok  antelope ; 
for  when  you  look  at  the  animal  at  a  distance,  its  two 
horns  appear  as  if  they  were  only  one,  and  the  Bushmen 
have  so  portrayed  the  animal  in  their  caves.  The  dragon 
also  is  not  exactly  imaginary  •,  for,  the  lacerta  volans,  or 
flying  lizard  of  Northern   Africa,    is    very   like   a    small 


The  Mission  227 

dragon  in  miniature.  So  that  even  what  has  been  con- 
sidered as  fabulous  has  arisen  from  exaggeration  or 
mistake." 

"  You  think,  then,  Swinton,  that  we  are  bound  to 
believe  all  that  travellers  tell  us  ?  " 

"Not  so;  but  not  to  reject  what  they  assert,  merely 
because  it  does  not  correspond  with  our  own  ideas  on  the 
subject.  The  most  remarkable  instance  of  unbelief  was 
relative  to  the  aerolites  or  meteoric  stones  formed  during 
a  thunder-storm  in  the  air,  and  falling  to  the  earth.  Of 
course  you  have  heard  that  such  have  occurred  ? " 

"I  have,"  replied  the  Major,  "and  I  have  seen  several 
in  India." 

"This  was  treated  as  a  mere  fable  not  a  century  back; 
and  when  it  was  reported  (and  not  the  first  time)  that 
such  a  stone  had  fallen  in  France,  the  savans  were  sent  in 
deputation  to  the  spot.  They  heard  the  testimony  of  the 
witnesses ;  that  a  loud  noise  was  heard  in  the  air ;  that 
they  looked  up  and  beheld  an  opaque  body  descending  ; 
that  it  fell  on  the  earth  with  a  force  which  nearly  buried 
it  in  the  ground,  and  was  so  hot  at  the  time  that  it  could 
not  be  touched  with  the  hand.  It  afterwards  became 
cold.  Now  the  savans  heard  all  this  and  pronounced  that 
it  could  not  be  ;  and,  for  a  long  while,  every  report  of  the 
kind  was  treated  with  contempt.  Now  every  one  knows, 
and  every  one  is  fully  satisfied  of  the  fact,  and  not  the 
least  surprise  is  expressed  when  they  are  told  of  the 
circumstance.  As  Shakespeare  makes  Hamlet  observe 
very  truly — '  There  are  more  things  in  heaven  and  earth, 
Horatio,  than  are  dreamt  of  in  your  philosophy.'  " 


Chapter    XXIII 

There  was  no  alarm  during  the  night,  and  the  next 
morning  they  yoked  the  oxen  and  changed  their  course  to 
the  northward.     The  whole  of  the  cattle  had  been  led 


228  The  Mission 

down  to  the  river  to  drink,  and  allowed  two  hours  to  feed 
before  they  started,  for  they  were  about  to  pass  through  a 
sterile  country  of  more  than  sixty  miles,  where  they  did 
not  expect  to  find  either  pasturage  or  water.  They  had 
not  left  the  river  more  than  three  miles  behind  them,  when 
the  landscape  changed  its  appearance.  As  far  as  the  eye 
could  scan  the  horizon,  all  vestiges  of  trees  had  disappeared, 
and  now  the  ground  was  covered  with  low  stunted  bushes 
and  large  stones.  Here  and  there  were  to  be  seen  small 
groups  of  animals,  the  most  common  of  which  were  the 
quaggas.  As  our  travellers  were  in  the  advance,  they 
started  six  or  seven  ostriches  which  had  been  sitting,  and 
a  ball  from  the  Major's  rifle  brought  one  to  the  ground, 
the  others  running  off  at  a  velocity  that  the  fastest  horse 
could  scarcely  have  surpassed. 

"  That  was  a  good  shot,  Major,"  said  Alexander. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Swinton,  "  but  take  care  how  you  go 
too  near  the  bird  ;  you  have  broken  his  thigh,  and  he  may 
be  dangerous.  They  are  very  fierce.  As  I  thought,  here 
is  the  nest.  Let  Bremen  kill  the  bird,  he  understands 
them,  Major.  It  is  the  male,  and  those  which  have  escaped 
are  all  females." 

"  "What  a  quantity  of  eggs,"  said  Alexander.  "Is  the 
nest  a  joint  concern  ? " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Swinton.  "  All  those  which  are  in  the 
centre  of  the  nest  with  their  points  upwards  are  the  eggs 
for  hatching.  There  are,  let  me  see,  twenty-six  of  them ; 
and  you  observe  that  there  are  as  many  more  round  about 
the  nest.  Those  are  for  the  food  of  the  young  ostriches 
as  soon  as  they  are  born.  However,  we  will  save  them 
that  trouble.  Bremen  must  take  the  eggs  outside  of  the 
nest  for  us,  and  the  others  the  people  may  have.  They 
are  not  very  particular  whether  they  are  fresh  or  not." 

"This  is  a  noble  bird,"  said  the  Major,  "and  has  some 
beautiful  feathers.  I  suppose  we  may  let  Bremen  take  the 
feathers  out  and  leave  the  body  ? " 

"  Yes  ;  I  do  not  want  it ;  but  Bremen  will  take  the 
skin,  I  dare  say.     It  is  worth  something  at  the  Cape." 


The  Mission  229 

As  soon  as  the  Hottentots  had  secured  the  eggs,  and 
Bremen  had  skinned  the  ostrich,  which  did  not  occupy 
many  minutes,  they  rode  on,  and  Swinton  then  said — 

"The  male  ostrich  generally  associates  with  from  three 
to  seven  females,  which  all  lay  in  the  same  nest.  He  sits 
as  well  as  the  females,  and  generally  at  night,  that  he  may 
defend  the  eggs  from  the  attacks  of  the  hyenas  or  other 
animals." 

"  You  do  not  mean  to  say  that  he  can  fight  these 
animals  ? " 

"  And  kill  them  also.  The  ostrich  has  two  powerful 
weapons ;  its  wing,  with  which  it  has  been  often  known 
to  break  a  hunter's  leg,  the  blow  from  it  is  so  violent ;  and 
what  is  more  fatal,  its  foot,  with  the  toe  of  which  it  strikes 
and  kills  both  animals  and  men.  I  once  myself,  in  Nama- 
qua  Land,  saw  a  Bushman  who  had  been  struck  on  the 
chest  by  the  foot  of  the  ostrich,  and  it  had  torn  open  his 
chest  and  stomach,  so  that  his  entrails  were  lying  on  the 
ground.  I  hardly  need  say  that  the  poor  wretch  wa6 
dead." 

"  I  could  hardly  have  credited  it,"  observed  Alexander. 

"The  Bushmen  skin  the  ostrich  and  spread  the  skin 
upon  a  frame  of  wicker-work  j  the  head  and  neck  are 
supported  by  a  stick  thrust  through  them.  The  skin  they 
fix  on  one  of  their  sides,  and  carry  the  head  and  neck  in 
one  of  their  hands,  while  the  other  holds  the  bow  and 
arrows.  In  this  disguise — of  course  with  the  feathered 
side  of  him  presented  to  the  bird  or  beast  he  would  get 
near  to — he  walks  along,  pecking  with  the  head  at  the 
bushes,  and  imitating  the  motions  of  the  ostrich.  By  this 
stratagem  he  very  often  is  enabled  to  get  within  shot  of 
the  other  ostriches,  or  the  quaggas  and  gnoos  which 
consort  with  these  birds." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  that  very  much,"  said  the  Major. 

"  You  would  be  surprised  at  the  close  imitation,  as  I 
have  been.  I  ought  to  have  said  that  the  Bushman 
whitens  his  legs  with  clay.  It  is,  however,  a  service  of 
danger,  for  I  have,  as  I  told  you,  known  a  man  killed  by 


230  The  Mission 

the  male  ostrich  ;  and  the  natives  say  that  it  is  by  no 
means  uncommon  for  them  to  receive  very  serious  injury." 

"  Hold  hard,"  said  the  Major,  "  there  is  a  lion  ;  what  a 
terrible  black  mane  he  has  got.  What  do  you  say, 
Swinton  ?  he  is  by  himself." 

Swinton  looked  at  the  animal,  which  was  crossing  about 
300  yards  ahead  of  thern  ;  he  was  on  a  low  hill  with  his 
head  close  to  the  ground. 

"  I  certainly  say  not.  Let  him  pass,  by  all  means,  and 
I  only  hope  he  will  take  no  notice  of  us.  I  must  give  you 
the  advice  which  an  old  Namaqua  chief  gave  me.  He 
said — '  Whenever  you  see  a  lion  moving  in  the  middle  of 
the  day,  you  may  be  certain  that  he  is  in  great  want  of 
food  and  very  angry.  Never  attack  one  then,  for  they  are 
very  dangerous  and  most  desperate.'  If,  therefore,  Major, 
you  wish  a  very  serious  affair,  and  one  or  two  lives  lost, 
you  will  attack  that  animal.  But  you  must  expect  that 
what  I  say  will  happen." 

"  Indeed,  my  dear  Swinton,  I  neither  wish  to  lose  my 
own  life,  nor  to  risk  those  of  others,  and  therefore  we  will 
remain  here  till  his  majesty  has  had  time  to  get  out  of  our 
way  ;  and  I  hope  he  may  soon  find  a  dinner." 

By  this  time  the  caravan  had  come  up  with  them,  and 
they  then  proceeded.  The  face  of  the  country  became 
even  more  sterile,  and  at  last  not  an  animal  of  any  descrip- 
tion was  to  be  seen.  As  there  was  nothing  for  the  oxen 
to  feed  upon,  they  continued  their  route  during  the  whole 
of  the  day,  and  at  night  they  halted  and  secured  the  cattle 
to  the  wagons.  Wood  for  fires  they  were  not  able  to 
procure,  and  therefore  they  made  one  half  of  the  Hottentots 
watch  during  the  night  with  their  muskets  to  scare  off 
wild  beasts.  But,  as  Swinton  observed,  there  was  little 
chance  of  their  being  disturbed  by  lions  or  other  animals, 
as  they  were  so  distant  from  water,  and  there  was  no 
game  near  them,  upon  which  the  wild  beasts  prey  ;  and 
so  it  proved,  for  during  the  whole  night  they  did  not  even 
hear  the  cry  of  a  hyena  or  a  jackal. 

At  the  first  gleaming   of  light  the  oxen  were  again 


The  Mission  231 

yoked,  with  the  hopes  of  their  being  able  to  gain  the  Vaal 
River  by  night.  The  relay  oxen  were  now  put  to,  to 
relieve  those  which  appeared  to  suffer  most.  At  noon  the 
heat  was  dreadful,  and  the  horses,  which  could  not 
support  the  want  of  water  as  the  oxen  could,  were  greatly 
distressed.  They  continued  for  about  two  hours  more, 
and  then  perceived  a  few  low  trees.  Begum,  who  had 
been  kept  without  water  that  she  might  exert  herself  to 
find  it,  started  off  as  fast  as  she  could,  followed  by 
Omrah.  After  running  to  the  trees,  they  altered  their 
course  to  the  eastward,  towards  some  ragged  rocks.  The 
caravan  arrived  at  the  trees,  which  they  found  were 
growing  on  the  banks  of  the  river  Alexandria,  which  they 
knew  they  should  pass,  but  not  a  drop  of  water  was  to  be 
discovered ;  even  the  pools  were  quite  dry.  As  they 
searched  about,  all  of  a  sudden  Begum  came  running  back 
screaming,  and  with  every  mark  of  terror,  and  clung,  as 
usual,  to  the  Major  when  frightened. 

"  "Where  is  the  bush-boy  ?  "  said  Bremen. 

"  Something  has  happened,"  cried  Swinton  ;  "  come  all 
of  you  with  your  guns." 

The  whole  party,  Hottentots  and  all,  hastened  towards 
the  rocks  where  Omrah  and  Begum  had  been  in  search  of 
water.  As  soon  as  they  reached  within  fifty  paces,  quite 
out  of  breath  with  their  haste,  they  were  saluted  with  the 
quah,  quah,  of  a  herd  of  baboons,  which  were  perched  at 
the  edge  of  the  rocks,  and  which  threatened  them  in  their 
usual  way,  standing  on  their  fore-legs,  and  making  as  if 
they  would  fly  at  them. 

"Now,  then,  what  is  to  be  done?"  said  the  Major. 
"  Shall  we  fire  ?  Do  you  think  that  they  have  possession 
of  the  boy  ? " 

"If  they  have,  they  will  let  him  go.  Yes,  we  are  too 
numerous  for  them  now,  and  they  will  not  show  fight, 
depend  upon  it.  Let  us  all  take  good  aim  and  fire  a  volley 
right  into  them." 

"Well,  then,  I'll  take  that  venerable  old  chap  that 
appears  to  be  the  leader  and    the  great  grandfather  of 


232  The  Mission 

them  all,"  said  the  Major.  "  Are  you  all  ready  ? — then 
fire." 

The  volley  had  its  effect ;  three  or  four  of  the  animals 
were  killed,  many  were  wounded,  and  the  whole  herd 
went  scampering  off  with  loud  shrieks  and  cries,  the 
wounded  trailing  themselves  after  the  others  as  well  as 
they  could. 

The  whole  party  then  ascended  the  crags  to  look  after 
Omrah — all  but  Begum,  who  would  not  venture.  They 
had  hardly  gained  the  summit  when  they  heard  Omrah's 
voice  below,  but  could  not  see  him.  "  There  he  is,  sir," 
said  Swanevelt,  "  down  below  there."  Swinton  and  the 
Major  went  down  again,  and  at  last,  guided  by  the  shouts 
of  the  boy,  they  came  to  a  narrow  cleft  in  the  rock,  about 
twenty  feet  deep,  at  the  bottom  of  which  they  heard,  but 
could  not  see  the  boy.  The  cleft  was  so  narrow  that 
none  of  the  men  could  squeeze  down  it.  Swinton  sent 
one  of  them  back  for  some  leathern  thongs  or  a  piece  of 
rope  to  let  down  to  him. 

During  the  delay,  Bremen  inquired  of  Omrah  if  he  was 
hurt,  and  received  an  answer  in  the  negative.  When  the 
rope  came,  and  was  lowered  down  to  him,  Omrah  seized 
it,  and  was  hauled  up  by  the  Hottentots.  He  appeared  to 
have  suffered  a  little,  as  his  hair  was  torn  out  in  large 
handfuls,  and  his  shirt  was  in  ribbons ;  but  with  the 
exception  of  some  severe  scratches  from  the  nails  of  the 
baboons,  he  had  no  serious  injury.  Omrah  explained  to 
the  Hottentots,  who  could  talk  his  language,  that  Begum 
and  he  had  come  to  the  cleft,  and  had  discovered  that  there 
was  water  at  the  bottom  of  it  j  that  Begum  had  gone  down, 
and  that  he  was  following,  when  the  baboons,  which  drank 
at  the  chasm,  had  come  upon  them.  Begum  had  sprung 
up  and  escaped,  but  he  could  not  j  and  that  the  animals 
had  followed  him  down,  until  he  was  so  jammed  in  the 
cleft,  that  he  could  descend  no  farther  ;  and  that  there 
they  had  pulled  out  his  hair  and  torn  his  shirt,  as  they  saw. 
Having  heard  Omrah's  story,  and  satisfied  themselves  that 
he  had  received  no  serious  injury,  they  then  went  to  where 


The  Mission  233 

the  baboons  had  been  shot.  Two  were  dead,  but  the  old 
one  which  the  Major  had  fired  at,  was  alive,  although 
severely  wounded,  having  received  two  shots,  one  in  his 
arm  and  the  other  in  his  leg,  which  was  broken  by  the 
ball.  All  the  poor  old  creature's  fierceness  appeared  to 
have  left  him.  It  was  evidently  very  weak  from  the  loss 
of  blood,  and  sat  down  leaning  against  the  rock.  Every 
now  and  then  it  would  raise  itself,  and  look  down  upon 
the  wound  in  its  leg,  examining  the  hole  where  the  bullet 
had  passed  through  ;  then  it  would  hold  up  its  wounded 
arm  with  its  other  hand,  and  look  them  in  the  face  inquir- 
ingly, as  much  as  to  say,  what  have  you  done  this  for  ? 

"Poor  creature,"  said  Alexander;  "how  much  its 
motions  are  those  of  a  human  being.  Its  mute  expostula- 
tion is  quite  painful  to  witness." 

"  Very  true,"  said  the  Major ;  "  but  still  if  it  had  not 
those  wounds,  it  would  tear  you  to  pieces  if  it  could." 

"  That  it  certainly  would,"  said  Swinton  j  "  but  still  it 
is  an  object  of  pity.  It  cannot  recover,  and  we  had  better 
put  it  out  of  its  misery." 

Desiring  Bremen  to  shoot  the  animal  through  the  head, 
our  travellers  then  walked  back  to  the  caravan.  As  they 
returned  by  the  banks  of  the  river,  they  perceived  Begum 
very  busy  scraping  up  the  baked  mud  at  the  bottom  of  a 
pool. 

"  What  is  the  Princess  about  ? "  said  Alexander. 

"  I  know ! "  cried  Omrah,  who  immediately  ran  to  the 
assistance  of  the  baboon ;  and  after  a  little  more  scraping, 
he  pulled  out  a  live  tortoise,  about  a  foot  long. 

"  I  have  heard  that  when  the  pools  dry  up,  the  tortoises 
remain  in  the  mud  till  the  pools  are  filled  again,"  said 
Swinton. 

"  Are  they  good  eating,  Swinton  ? " 

"  Excellent." 

"Turtle  soup  in  the  desert,  that's  something  un- 
expected." 

The  Hottentots  now  set  to  work  and  discovered  five  or 
six  more,  which  they  brought    out.     They  then  tried  in 


234  The  Mission 

vain  to  get  at  the  water  in  the  deep  cleft,  but  finding  it 
impossible,  the  caravan  continued  its  course. 

"  How  much  more  of  this  desert  have  we  to  traverse," 
said  Alexander,  "  before  we  come  to  the  river  ? " 

"  I  fear  that  we  shall  not  arrive  there  before  to-morrow 
night,"  said  Swinton,  "  unless  we  travel  on  during  the 
night,  which  I  think  will  be  the  best  plan.  For,  fatiguing 
as  it  will  be  to  the  animals,  they  will  be  even  more  ex- 
hausted if  they  pass  another  day  under  the  burning  sun, 
without  water,  and  at  night  they  will  bear  their  work 
better.  We  gain  nothing  by  stopping,  as  the  longer  they 
are  on  the  journey,  the  more  they  will  be  exhausted." 

"  I  really  am  fearful  for  the  horses,  they  suffer  so 
much." 

"  At  night  we  will  wash  their  mouths  with  a  sponge 
full  of  water  ;  we  can  spare  so  much  for  the  poor 
creatures." 

"  In  the  deserts  of  Africa,  you  have  always  one  of  three 
dangers  to  encounter,"  said  Swinton ;  "  wild  men,  wild 
beasts,  and  want  of  water." 

"  And  the  last  is  the  worst  of  the  three,"  replied  the 
Major.  "  We  shall  have  a  moon  to-night  for  a  few 
hours." 

"  Yes,  and  if  we  had  not,  it  would  be  of  no  conse- 
quence ;  the  stars  give  light  enough,  and  we  have  little 
chance  of  wild  beasts  here.  We  now  want  water ;  as  soon 
as  we  get  rid  of  that  danger,  we  shall  then  have  the  other 
to  encounter." 

The  sun  went  down  at  last,  the  poor  oxen  toiled  on  with 
their  tongues  hanging  out  of  their  mouths.  At  sunset, 
the  relay  oxen  were  yoked,  and  they  continued  their  course 
by  the  stars.  The  horses  had  been  refreshed  as  Swinton 
had  proposed ;  but  they  were  too  much  exhausted  to  be 
ridden,  and  our  travellers,  with  their  guns  on  their 
shoulders,  and  the  dogs  loose,  to  give  notice  of  any 
danger,  now  walked  by  the  sides  of  the  wagons  over  the 
sandy  ground.  The  stars  shone  out  brilliantly,  and  even 
the  tired  cattle  felt  relief,  from  the  comparative  coolness  of 


The  Mission  235 

the  night  air.  All  was  silent,  except  the  creaking  of  the 
wheels  of  the  wagons,  and  the  occasional  sighs  of  the 
exhausted  oxen,  as  they  thus  passed  through  the 
desert. 

"Well,"  observed  the  Major,  after  they  had  walked 
about  an  hour  without  speaking,  "  I  don't  know  what  your 
thoughts  may  have  been  all  this  while,  but  it  has  occurred 
to  me,  that  a  party  of  pleasure  may  be  carried  to  too  great 
lengths ;  and  I  think  that  I  have  been  very  selfish,  in 
persuading  Wilmot  to  undergo  all  that  we  have  undergone 
and  are  likely  to  undergo,  merely  because  I  wished  to 
shoot  a  giraffe." 

"I  presume  that  I  must  plead  guilty  also,"  replied 
Swinton,  "in  having  assisted  to  induce  him  ;  but  you  know 
a  naturalist  is  so  ardent  in  his  pursuit  that  he  thinks  of 
nothing  else." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  you  have  either  of  you  much  to 
answer  for,"  replied  Alexander ;  "I  was  just  as  anxious 
to  go  as  you  were  ;  and  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  have  not 
the  slightest  wish  to  turn  back  again,  till  we  have  executed 
our  proposed  plans.  We  none  of  us  undertook  this  journey 
with  the  expectation  of  meeting  with  no  difficulties,  or  no 
privations  ;  and  I  fully  anticipate  more  than  we  have  yet 
encountered  or  are  encountering  now.  If  I  get  back  on 
foot  and  without  a  sole  left  to  my  shoe,  I  shall  be  quite 
content  j  at  the  same  time,  I  will  not  continue  if  you  both 
wish  to  return." 

"  Indeed,  my  dear  fellow,  I  have  no  wish  but  to  go  on ; 
but  I  was  afraid  that  we  were  running  you  into  dangers 
which  we  have  no  right  to  do." 

"  You  have  a  right,  allowing  that  I  did  not  myself 
wish  to  proceed,"  replied  Alexander.  "  You  escorted  me 
safe  through  the  country  to  ascertain  a  point  in  which  you 
had  not  the  slightest  interest,  and  it  would  be  indeed 
rewarding  you  very  ill,  if  I  were  now  to  refuse  to  gratify 
you ;  but  the  fact  is,  I  am  gratifying  myself  at  the  same 
time." 

"  Well,  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  replied  the 


236  The  Mission 

Major,  "  as  it  makes  my  mind  at  ease :  what  time  do  you 
think  it  is,  Swinton  ? " 

"  It  is  about  three  o'clock ;  we  shall  soon  have  daylight, 
and  I  hope  with  daylight  we  shall  have  some  sight  to  cheei 
us.  "We  have  travelled  well,  and  cannot  by  my  reckoning 
be  far  from  the  Vaal  River.  Since  yesterday  morning  we 
have  made  sixty  miles  or  thereabouts  ;  and  if  we  have  not 
diverged  from  our  course,  the  poor  animals  will  soon  be 
relieved." 

They  travelled  on  another  weary  hour,  when  Begum 
gave  a  cry  and  started  off  ahead  of  the  wagons  ;  the  oxen 
raised  their  heads  to  the  wind,  and  those  which  were  not 
in  the  yokes,  after  a  short  while  broke  away  from  the 
keepers,  and  galloped  off,  followed  by  the  horses,  sheep, 
and  dogs.  The  oxen  in  the  yokes  also  became  quite 
unruly,  trying  to  disengage  themselves  from  the  traces. 

"  They  have  smelt  the  water,  it  is  not  far  off,  sir," 
said  Bremen ;  "  we  had  better  unyoke  them  all,  and  let 
them  go." 

"  Yes,  by  all  means,"  said  Alexander. 

So  impatient  were  the  poor  beasts,  that  it  was  very 
difficult  to  disengage  them,  and  many  broke  loose  before 
it  could  be  effected  ;  as  soon  as  they  were  freed,  they 
followed  their  companions  at  the  same  rapid  pace. 

"  At  all  events  we  shall  know  where  to  find  them,"  said 
the  Major,  laughing :  "  well  I  really  so  felt  for  the  poor 
animals  that  I  am  as  happy  as  if  I  was  as  thirsty  as  they 
are,  and  was  now  quenching  my  thirst.  It's  almost  day- 
light." 

As  the  day  dawned  they  continued  to  advance  in  the 
direction  that  the  animals  had  taken,  and  they  then  distin- 
guished the  trees  that  bordered  the  river,  which  was  about 
two  miles  distant.  As  soon  as  it  was  broad  daylight,  they 
perceived  that  the  whole  landscape  had  changed  its  appear- 
ance. Even  where  they  were  walking  there  was  herbage, 
and  near  to  the  r'ver  it  appeared  most  luxuriant.  Tall 
mimosa  trees  were  to  be  seen  in  every  direction,  and  in 
the  distance  large  forests  of  timber.     All  was  verdant  and 


The  Mission  i^y 

green,  and  appeared  to  them  as  a  paradise  after  the  desert 
in  which  they  had  been  wandering  on  the  evening  before. 
As  they  arrived  at  the  river's  banks  they  were  saluted  with 
the  lively  notes  of  the  birds  hymning  forth  their  morning 
praise,  and  found  the  cattle,  after  slaking  their  thirst,  were 
now  quietly  feeding  upon  the  luxuriant  grass  which  sur- 
rounded them. 

"  Well  may  the  Psalmist  and  prophets  talk  of  the  beauty 
of  flowing  rivers,"  said  Alexander ;  "  now  we  feel  the 
truth  and  beauty  of  the  language ;  one  would  almost 
imagine  that  the  sacred  writings  were  inditedin  these  wilds." 

"  If  not  in  these,  they  certainly  were  in  the  Eastern 
countries,  which  assimilate  strongly  with  them,"  said 
Swinton ;  "but,  as  you  truly  say,  it  is  only  by  having 
passed  through  the  country  that  you  can  fully  appreciate 
their  beauties.  We  never  know  the  real  value  of  anything 
till  we  have  felt  what  it  is  to  be  deprived  of  it,  and  in  a 
temperate  climate,  with  a  pump  in  every  house,  people 
cannot  truly  estimate  the  value  of  '  flowing  rivers.' " 

The  Hottentots  having  now  arrived,  the  cattle  were 
driven  back  to  the  wagons  and  yoked,  that  they  might  be 
brought  up  to  a  spot  which  had  been  selected  for  their 
encampment.  In  the  meantime  our  travellers,  who  were 
tired  with  their  night's  walk,  lay  down  under  a  large 
mimosa  tree,  close  to  the  banks  of  the  river. 

"  We  shall  stay  here  a  day  or  two,  of  course,"  said  the 
Major. 

"  Yes,  for  the  sake  of  the  cattle ;  the  poor  creatures 
deserve  a  couple  of  days'  rest." 

"  Do  you  observe  how  the  mimosas  are  torn  up  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river?"  said  Swinton ;  "the  elephants 
have  been  very  numerous  there  lately." 

"  Why  do  they  tear  the  trees  up  ? "  said  Alexander. 

"  To  feed  upon  the  long  roots,  which  are  very  sweet ;, 
they  destroy  an  immense  number  of  the  smaller  trees  in 
that  manner." 

"Well,  we  must  have  another  elephant  hunt,"  said  the 
Major. 


238  The  Mission 

"We  may  have  hunts  of  every  kind,  I  expect,  here," 
replied  Swinton :  "  we  are  now  on  the  very  paradise  of 
wild  animals,  and  the  further  we  go  the  more  we  shall 
find." 

"  What  a  difference  there  is  in  one  day's  journey  in  this 
country,"  observed  Alexander :  "  yesterday  morning  there 
was  not  a  creature  to  be  seen,  and  all  was  silent  as  death. 
Now  listen  to  the  noise  of  the  birds,  and  as  for  beasts,  I 
suspect  we  shall  not  have  far  to  look  for  them." 

"  No,  for  there  is  a  hippopotamus  just  risen  •,  and  now 
he's  down  again — there's  food  for  a  fortnight  at  one 
glance,"  cried  the  Major. 

"How  the  horses  and  sheep  are  enjoying  themselves — 
they  are  making  up  for  lost  time — but  here  come  the 
wagons." 

"Well,  then,  I  must  get  up  and  attend  to  my  depart- 
ment/' said  the  Major.  "I  presume  that  we  must  expect 
our  friends  the  lions  again  now." 

"Where  there  is  food  for  lions,  you  must  expect  lions, 
Major,"  said  Swinton. 

"Very  true,  and  fuel  to  keep  them  off — by-the-bye, 
turtle  soup  for  dinner,  recollect ;  tell  Mahommed." 

"  I'll  see  to  it,"  said  Alexander,  "  but  we  must  have 
something  for  breakfast,  as  soon  as  I  have  had  a  wash  at 
the  river's  side — I  would  have  a  bathe,  only  I  have  such 
a  respect  for  the  hippopotami." 

"  Yes,  you  will  not  forget  them  in  a  hurry,"  said 
Swinton,  laughing. 

"  Not  as  long  as  I  have  breath  in  my  body,  for  they 
took  all  the  breath  out  of  it.  Come,  Swinton,  will  you 
go  with  me,  and  make  your  toilet  at  the  river's 
banks  ? " 

"  Yes,  and  glad  to  do  so  5  for  I  am  covered  with  the 
sand  of  the  desert." 


The  Mission  239 


Chapter  XXIV 

Our  travellers  remained  very  quiet  that  day  and  the  next. 
The  horses  had  suffered  so  much,  that  they  required  two 
days  of  rest,  and  they  themselves  were  not  sorry  to  be 
inactive  after  their  fatiguing  journey  over  the  desert. 
The  cattle  enjoyed  the  luxuriant  pasture,  and  although 
the  tracks  of  lions  were  discovered  very  near  to  them, 
yet,  as  they  had  plenty  of  fuel  and  attended  themselves 
to  the  fires,  they  had  not  any  visits  from  them  during 
the  night.  The  Hottentots  had  been  out  to  reconnoitre, 
and  found  a  profusion  of  game,  in  a  large  plain  about 
two  miles  distant ;  and  it  was  decided  that  they  would 
rest  where  they  were  for  a  day  or  two,  if  the  game  were 
not  frightened  away.  The  river  had  been  crossed  by 
Swanevelt,  who  stated  that  there  was  a  large  herd  of 
elephants  on  the  other  side,  and  the  tracks  of  the 
rhinoceros  were  to  be  seen  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

On  the  third  morning  after  their  arrival  at  the  Vaal, 
they  set  off,  accompanied  by  the  Hottentots,  to  the  plain 
which  they  had  spoken  off;  riding  through  magnificent 
groups  of  acacia  or  camel  thorn  trees,  many  of  which 
were  covered  with  the  enormous  nests  of  the  social 
grosbeaks.  As  they  descended  to  the  plain,  they  per- 
ceived large  herds  of  brindled  gnoos,  quaggas,  and 
antelopes,  covering  the  whole  face  of  the  country  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  moving  about  in  masses  to 
and  fro,  joining  each  other  and  separating,  so  that  the 
whole  plain  appeared  alive  with  them. 

"  Is  not  this  splendid  ? "  cried  the  Major.  "  Such  a 
sight  is  worth  all  the  trouble  and  labour  which  we  have 
undergone.  What  would  they  say  in  England,  if  they 
could  but  behold  this  scene  ?  " 

"  There  must  be  thousands  and  thousands,"  said  Alex- 
ander. '•  Tell  me,  Swinton,  what  beautiful  animals  are 
those  of  a  purple  colour  ?  " 


240  The  Mission 

"  They  are  called  the  purple  sassabys,"  replied  Swinton  ; 
"  one  of  the  most  elegant  of  the  antelope  tribe." 

"  And  those  red  and  yellow  out  there  ?  " 

"  They  are  the  harte  beests.  I  wish  to  have  male  and 
female  specimens  of  both,  if  I  can." 

"  See  ! "  said  the  Major,  "  there  is  a  fine  flock  of 
ostriches.  "We  are  puzzled  where  to  begin.  Come,  we 
have  surveyed  the  scene  long  enough  ;  now  forward, — to 
change  it." 

They  rode  down,  and  were  soon  within  shot  of  the 
animals,  and  the  rifles  began  their  work.  The  Hottentots 
commenced  firing  from  various  points,  and,  alarmed  by  the 
report  of  the  guns,  the  animals  now  fled  away  in  every 
direction,  and  the  whole  place  was  one  cloud  of  dust. 
Our  travellers  put  their  horses  to  their  speed,  and  soon 
came  up  with  them  again,  as  their  numbers  impeded  the 
animals  in  their  flight.  Every  shot  told,  for  it  was  hardly 
possible  to  miss  ;  and  the  Hottentots,  who  followed  on 
foot,  put  them  that  were  wounded  out  of  their  misery. 
At  last,  the  horses  were  too  fatigued  and  too  much 
out  of  wind  to  continue  the  pursuit,  and  they  reined 
up. 

"  Well,  Alexander,  this  has  been  sport,  has  it  not  ? " 
said  the  Major. 

"  Yes,  a  grand  battue,  on  a  grand  scale,  indeed." 

"  There  were  three  animals  which  you  did  not  observe," 
said  Swinton  ;  "  but  it  was  impossible  to  get  at  them, 
they  were  so  far  off;  but  we  must  try  for  them  another 
time." 

"What  were  they?" 

"The  elands,  the  largest  of  the  antelope  tribe,"  replied 
Swinton,  "  and  the  best  eating  of  them  all.  Sometimes 
they  are  nineteen  hands  high  at  the  chest,  and  will  weigh 
nearly  2000  pounds.  It  has  the  head  of  an  antelope,  but 
the  body  is  more  like  that  of  an  ox.  It  has  magnificent 
straight  horns,  but  they  are  not  dangerous.  They  are 
easily  run  down,  for,  generally  speaking,  they  are  very  fat 
and  incapable  of  much  exertion." 


The  Mission  241 

"  We  will  look  out  for  them  to-morrow,"  said  the 
Major.  "  See  how  the  vultures  are  hovering  over  us  j 
they  know  that  there  will  be  bones  for  them  to  pick  this 
night." 

"  More  than  bones,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  for  what  can 
we  do  with  so  many  carcases  ?  There  is  provision  for 
a  month,  if  it  would  keep.  What  a  prodigious  variety  of 
animals  there  appears  to  be  in  this  country." 

"  Yes,  they  are  congregated  here,  because  the  country, 
from  want  of  rain,  may  be  considered  as  barren.  But 
within  eight  or  nine  degrees  of  latitude  from  the  Cape, 
we  find  the  largest  and  most  minute  of  creation.  We 
have  the  ostrich  and  the  little  creeper  among  the  birds. 
Among  the  beasts  we  have  the  elephant,  weighing  4000 
lbs.,  and  the  black  specked  mouse,  weighing  a  quarter  of 
an  ounce.  We  have  the  giraffe,  seventeen  feet  high,  and 
the  little  viverra,  a  sort  of  weasel,  of  three  inches.  I 
believe  there  are  thirty  varieties  of  antelopes  known  and 
described  ;  eighteen  of  them  are  found  in  this  country, 
and  there  are  the  largest  and  the  smallest  of  the  species  ; 
for,  we  have  the  eland,  and  we  have  the  pigmy  antelope, 
which  is  not  above  six  inches  high.  We  see  here  also 
the  intermediate  links  of  many  genera,  such  as  the  eland 
and  the  gnoo ;  and  as  we  find  the  elephant,  the  rhino- 
ceros, and  Wilmot's  friend  the  hippopotamus,  we  certainly 
have  the  bulkiest  animals  in  existence." 

Bremen  now  came  up  to  say  that  they  had  discovered  a 
rhinoceros  close  to  the  river-side,  concealed  in  the  bushes 
underneath  a  clump  of  acacia.  The  Major  and  Alexander 
having  declared  their  intention  of  immediately  going  in 
pursuit,  Swinton  advised  them  to  be  cautious,  as  the 
charge  of  a  rhinoceros  was  a  very  awkward  affair,  if  they 
did  not  get  out  of  the  way.  They  rode  down  to  the 
clump  of  trees  and  bushes  where  the  animal  was  said  to 
be  hid,  and,  by  the  advice  of  Bremen,  sent  for  the  dogs 
to  worry  the  animal  out.  Bremen,  who  was  on  foot,  was 
desired  by  the  Major  to  take  the  horse  which  Omrah  rode 
that   he  might  be  more    expeditious,  and  our   travellers 

M  Q 


242  The  Mission 

remained  with  a  clear  space  of  about  200  yards  between 
them  and  the  bushes  where  the  animal  was  concealed. 
The  Hottentots  had  also  followed  them,  and  were  ordered 
on  no  account  to  fire  till  they  had  taken  their  positions, 
and  the  dogs  were  sent  in  to  drive  the  animal  out. 

When  Bremen  was  but  a  short  distance  from  them  with 
the  dogs,  Swinton  advised  that  they  should  dismount  and 
take  possession  of  a  small  clump  of  trees  which  grew 
very  close  together,  as  they  would  be  concealed  from  the 
animal.  They  called  Omrah  to  take  the  horses,  but  he 
was  not  to  be  seen,  so  they  gave  them  to  one  of  the 
Hottentots,  to  lead  them  away  to  some  distance  out  of 
harm's  way. 

"The  vision  of  the  rhinoceros  is  so  limited,"  observed 
Swinton,  "  that  it  is  not  difficult  to  get  out  of  his  way  on 
his  first  charge ;  but  at  his  second  he  is  generally  pre- 
pared for  your  manoeuvre.  A  ball  in  the  shoulder  is  the 
most  fatal.  Look  out,  Bremen  has  turned  in  the  dogs." 
The  barking  of  the  dogs,  which  commenced  as  soon  as 
they  entered  the  bushes,  did  not  continue  more  than  a 
minute  when  a  female  rhinoceros  of  the  black  variety 
burst  out  of  the  thicket  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  dogs. 
Several  shots  were  fired  by  the  Hottentots,  who  were 
concealed  in  different  quarters,  without  effect ;  the  animal 
rushing  along  and  tearing  up  the  ground  with  its  horns, 
looking  out  for  its  enemies.  At  last  it  perceived  a 
Hottentot,  who  showed  himself  from  a  bush  near  to 
where  our  travellers  were  concealed.  The  animal 
charged  immediately,  and  in  charging  was  brought  down 
on  its  knees  by  a  shot  from  Alexander.  The  Hottentots 
rushed  out,  regardless  of  Swinton's  calling  out  to  them  to 
be  careful,  as  the  animal  was  not  dead,  and  had  surrounded 
it  within  a  few  yards,  when  it  rose  again  and  fiercely 
charged  Swanevelt,  who  narrowly  escaped.  A  shot  from 
the  Major  put  an  end  to  its  career,  and  they  then  walked 
up  to  where  the  animal  lay,  when  a  cry  from  Omrah,  who 
was  standing  near  the  river,  attracted  their  notice,  and 
they  perceived  that  the  male  rhinoceros,  of  whose  presence 


The  Mission  243 

they  were  not  aware,   had  just   burst  out  of   the    same 
covert,  and  was  charging  towards  them. 

Everyone  immediately  took  to  his  heels ;  many  of  the 
Hottentots  in  their  fear  dropping  their  muskets,  and 
fortunately  the  distance  they  were  from  the  covert  gave 
them  time  to  conceal  themselves  in  the  thickets  before  the 
animal  could  come  up  with  them.  A  shot  from  Swinton 
turned  the  assailant,  who  now  tore  up  the  earth  in  his  rage, 
looking  everywhere  round  with  its  sharp  flashing  eye  for 
a  victim.  At  this  moment,  while  it  seemed  hesitating  and 
peering  about,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  whole  party, 
Omrah  showed  himself  openly  on  the  other  side  of  the 
rhinoceros,  waving  his  red  handkerchief,  which  he  had 
taken  off  his  head.  The  rhinoceros,  the  moment  that  the 
boy  caught  his  eye,  rushed  furiously  towards  him.  "  The 
boy's  lost,"  cried  Swinton ;  but  hardly  had  the  words  gone 
from  his  mouth,  when,  to  their  astonishment,  the  rhino- 
ceros disappeared,  and  Omrah  stood  capering  and  shouting 
with  delight.  The  fact  was,  that  Omrah,  when  he  had 
left  our  travellers,  had  gone  down  towards  the  river,  and 
as  he  went  along  had  with  his  light  weight  passed  over 
what  he  knew  full  well  to  be  one  of  the  deep  pits  dug  by 
the  Bushmen  to  catch  those  animals.  Having  fully  satisfied 
himself  that  it  was  so,  he  had  remained  by  the  side  of  it, 
and  when  the  rhinoceros  rushed  at  him,  he  kept  the  pit 
between  him  and  the  animal.  His  object  was  to  induce  the 
animal  to  charge  at  him,  which  it  did,  and  when  within 
four  yards  of  the  lad,  had  plunged  into  the  pit  dug  for 
him.  The  success  of  Omrah's  plan  explained  the  whole 
matter  at  once,  and  our  travellers  hastened  up  to  where  the 
rhinoceros  was  impounded,  and  found  that  a  large  stake, 
fixed  upright  in  the  centre  of  the  pit,  had  impaled  the 
animal.  A  shot  from  the  Major  put  an  end  to  the  fury 
and  the  agony  of  the  animal. 

"  I  never  was  more  excited  in  my  life ;  I  thought  the 
boy  was  mad  and  wanted  to  lose  his  life,"  said  Alexander. 

"  And  so  did  I,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  and  yet  I  ought  to 
have  known  him  better.     It  was  admirably  done ;  here  we 


244  The  Mission 

have  an  instance  of  the  superiority  of  man  endowed  with 
reasoning  power  over  brutes.  A  rhinoceros  will  destroy 
the  elephant ;  the  lion  can  make  no  impression  on  him,  and 
flies  before  him  like  a  cat.  He  is  in  fact  the  most  power- 
ful of  all  animals ;  he  fears  no  enemy,  not  even  man,  when 
he  is  provoked  or  wounded ;  and  yet  he  has  fallen  by  the 
cleverness  of  that  little  monkey  of  a  bush-boy.  I  think, 
Major,  we  have  done  enough  now,  and  may  go  back  to  the 
caravan." 

"  Yes,  I  am  well  satisfied  with  our  day's  sport,  and  am 
not  a  little  hungry.  We  may  now  let  the  Hottentots  bring 
home  as  much  game  as  they  can.  You  have  taken  care  to 
give  directions  about  your  specimens,  Swinton  ? " 

"  Yes,  Bremen  knows  the  animals  which  I  require,  and 
is  now  after  them.  Omrah,  run  and  tell  that  fellow  to 
bring  our  horses  here." 

"  Swinton,  can  birds  and  beasts  talk,  or  can  they  not  ?  " 
said  the  Major.  "  I  ask  that  question  because  I  am  now 
looking  at  the  enormous  nests  of  the  grosbeaks.  It  is  a 
regular  town  with  some  hundreds  of  houses.  These  birds, 
as  well  as  those  sagacious  animals,  the  beaver,  the  ant, 
and  the  bee,  not  to  mention  a  variety  of  others,  must  have 
some  way  of  communicating  their  ideas." 

"  That  there  is  no  doubt  of,"  replied  Swinton,  laugh- 
ing; "  but  still  I  believe  that  man  only  is  endowed  with 
speech." 

"Well,  we  know  that;  but  if  not  with  speech,  they 
must  have  some  means  of  communication  which  answers 
as  well." 

"  As  far  as  their  wants  require  it,  no  doubt,"  replied 
Swinton  ;  "  but  to  what  extent  is  hidden  from  us. 
Animals  have  instinct  and  reasoning  powers,  but  not 
reason." 

"  Where  is  the  difference  ? " 

"The  reasoning  powers  are  generally  limited  to  their 
necessities,  but  with  animals  who  are  the  companions  of 
man,  they  appear  to  be  more  extended." 

"  We  have  a  grand  supper  to-night,"  said  Alexander ; 


The  Mission  245 

**  what  shall  I  help  you  to  —  hartebeest,  sassyby,  or 
rhinoceros  ? " 

"  Thank  you,"  replied  the  Major,  laughing ;  "  I'll  trouble 
you  for  a  small  portion  of  that  rhinoceros-steak,  underdone 
if  you  please." 

"  How  curious  that  would  sound  in  Grosvener-square." 

"  Not  if  you  shot  the  animals  in  Richmond  Park,"  said 
Swinton. 

"  Those  rascally  Hottentots  will  collect  no  fuel  to-night 
if  we  do  not  make  them  do  it  now,"  said  the  Major.  "If 
they  once  begin  to  stuff,  it  will  be  all  over  with  them." 

"  Very  true,  we  had  better  set  them  about  it  before  the 
feast  begins.     Call  Bremen,  Omrah." 

Having  given  their  directions,  our  party  finished  their 
supper,  and  then  Alexander  asked  Swinton  whether  he  had 
ever  known  any  serious  accidents  from  the  hunting  of  the 
rhinoceros. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Swinton,  "  I  once  was  witness  to  the 
death  of  a  native  chief." 

"  Then  pray  tell  us  the  story,"  said  the  Major.  "  By 
hearing  how  other  people  have  suffered,  we  learn  how  to 
take  care  of  ourselves." 

"  Before  I  do  so,  I  will  mention  what  was  told  me  by  a 
Namaqua  chief  about  a  lion ;  I  am  reminded  of  it  by  the 
Major's  observations  as  to  the  means  animals  have  of  com- 
municating with  each  other.  Once  when  I  was  travelling 
in  Namaqua  Land,  I  observed  a  spot  which  was  imprinted 
with  at  least  twenty  spoors  or  marks  of  the  lion's  paw ; 
and  as  I  pointed  them  out,  a  Namaqua  chief  told  me  that 
a  lion  had  been  practising  his  leap.  On  demanding  an 
explanation,  he  said,  that  if  a  lion  sprang  at  an  animal,  and 
missed  it  by  leaping  short,  he  would  always  go  back  to 
where  he  sprang  from,  and  practise  the  leap  so  as  to  be 
successful  on  another  occasion  ;  and  he  then  related  to  me 
the  following  anecdote,  stating  that  he  was  an  eye-witness 
to  the  incident. 

"  I  was  passing  near  the  end  of  a  craggy  hill,  from 
which  jutted  out  a  smooth  rock,  of  from  ten  to  twelve 


246  The  Mission 

feet  high,  when  I  perceived  a  number  of  zebras  galloping 
round  it,  which  they  were  obliged  to  do,  as  the  rock 
beyond  was  quite  steep.  A  lion  was  creeping  towards 
the  rock,  to  catch  the  male  zebra,  which  brought  up  the 
rear  of  the  herd.  The  lion  sprang  and  missed  his  mark ; 
he  fell  short,  with  only  his  head  over  the  edge  of  the  rock, 
and  the  zebra  galloped  away,  switching  his  tail  in  the  air. 
Although  the  object  of  his  pursuit  was  gone,  the  lion  tried 
the  leap  on  the  rock  a  second  and  a  third  time,  till  he 
succeeded.  During  this,  two  more  lions  came  up  and 
joined  the  first  lion.  They  seemed  to  be  talking,  for  they 
roared  a  great  deal  to  each  other ;  and  then  the  first  lion 
led  them  round  the  rock  again  and  again.  Then  he  made 
another  grand  leap,  to  show  them  what  he  and  they  must 
do  another  time.  The  chief  added,  they  evidently  were 
talking  to  each  other,  but  I  could  not  understand  a  word 
of  what  they  said,  although  they  talked  loud  enough  ;  but 
I  thought  it  was  as  well  to  be  off,  or  they  might  have 
some  talk  about  me." 

"  Well,  they  certainly  do  not  whisper,"  said  the  Major, 
laughing.  "  Thank  you  for  that  story,  Swinton,  and  now 
for  the  rhinoceros-hunt." 

"  I  was  once  out  hunting  with  a  Griqua,  of  the  name  of 
Henrick,  and  two  or  three  other  men ;  we  had  wounded  a 
springbok  and  were  following  its  track,  when  we  came 
upon  the  footing  of  a  rhinoceros,  and  shortly  afterwards 
we  saw  a  large  black  male  in  the  bush." 

"  You  mention  a  black  rhinoceros ;  is  there  any 
other  ? " 

"  Yes,  there  is  a  white  rhinoceros,  as  it  is  called,  larger 
than  the  black,  but  not  so  dangerous.  It  is  in  fact  a 
stupid  sort  of  animal.  The  black  rhinoceros,  as  you  are 
aware,  is  very  fierce.  Well,  to  continue  :  Henrick  slipped 
down  behind  a  bush,  fired  and  wounded  the  animal 
severely  in  the  foreleg.  The  rhinoceros  charged,  we  all 
fled,  and  the  animal  singling  out  one  of  our  men,  closely 
pursued  him  ;  but  the  man  stopping  short,  while  the  horn 
of  the  rhinoceros  ploughed  up  the  ground  at  his  heels, 


The  Mission  247 

dexterously  jumped  on  one  side.  The  rhinoceros  missed 
him  and  passed  on  in  full  speed,  and  before  the  brute 
could  recover  himself  and  change  his  course,  the  whole  of 
us  had  climbed  up  into  trees.  The  rhinoceros,  limping 
with  his  wound,  went  round  and  round,  trying  to  find  us 
out  by  the  scent,  but  he  tried  in  vain.  At  last,  one  of  the 
men  who  had  only  an  assaguay,  said,  '  Well,  how  long  are 
we  going  to  stay  here,  why  don't  you  shoot  ? ' 

"  '  Well,'  said  Henrick,  '  if  you  are  so  anxious  to  shoot, 
you  may  if  you  please.  Here  is  my  powder  and  shot 
belt,  and  my  gun  lies  under  the  tree.'  The  man  imme- 
diately descended  from  the  tree,  loaded  the  gun,  and,  ap- 
proaching the  rhinoceros,  he  fired  and  wounded  it  severely 
in  the  jaw.  The  animal  was  stunned  and  dropped  on  the 
spot.  Thinking  that  it  was  dead,  we  all  descended  fear- 
lessly and  collected  round  it  j  and  the  man  who  had  fired 
was  very  proud,  and  was  giving  directions  to  the  others, 
when  of  a  sudden,  the  animal  began  to  recover,  and 
kicked  with  his  hind  legs.  Henrick  told  us  all  to  run  for 
our  lives,  and  set  us  the  example.  The  rhinoceros  started 
up  again,  and  singling  out  the  unfortunate  man  who  had 
got  down  and  fired  at  it,  roaring  and  snorting  with  rage, 
thundered  after  him. 

"  The  man,  perceiving  that  he  could  not  outrun  the 
beast,  tried  the  same  plan  as  the  other  hunter  did  when 
the  rhinoceros  charged  him  :  stopping  short,  he  jumped 
on  one  side,  that  the  animal  might  pass  him ;  but  the 
brute  was  not  to  be  baulked  a  second  time ;  he  caught 
the  man  on  his  horn  under  the  left  thigh,  and  cutting  it 
open  as  if  it  had  been  done  with  an  axe,  tossed  him  a 
dozen  yards  up  in  the  air.  The  poor  fellow  fell  facing 
the  rhinoceros,  with  his  legs  spread  ;  the  beast  rushed  at 
him  again,  and  ripped  up  his  body  from  his  stomach  to 
almost  his  throat,  and  again  tossed  him  in  the  air.  Again 
he  fell  heavily  to  the  ground.  The  rhinoceros  watched 
his  fall,  and  running  up  to  him,  trod  upon,  and  pounded 
him  to  a  mummy.  After  this  horrible  tragedy,  the  beast 
limped  off  into  a  bush.     Henrick  then  crept  up  to  the 


248  The  Mission 

bush  ;  the  animal  dashed  out  again,  and  would  certainly 
have  killed  another  man,  if  a  dog  had  not  turned  it.  In 
turning  short  round  upon  the  dog,  the  bone  of  its  fore- 
leg, which  had  been  half  broken  through  by  Henrick's 
first  shot,  snapped  in  two,  and  it  fell,  unable  to  recover 
itself,  and  was  then  shot  dead." 

"  A  very  awkward  customer,  at  all  events,"  observed 
the  Major.  "  I  presume  a  leaden  bullet  would  not 
enter  ? " 

"  No,  it  would  flatten  against  most  parts  of  his  body. 
By-the-bye,  I  saw  an  instance  of  a  rhinoceros  having  been 
destroyed  by  that  cowardly  brute  the  hyena." 

"  Indeed ! " 

"  Yes,  patience  and  perseverance  on  the  hyena's  part 
effected  the  work.  The  rhinoceros  takes  a  long  while  to 
turn  round,  and  the  hyena  attacked  him  behind,  biting  him 
with  his  powerful  jaws,  above  the  joint  of  the  hind-leg, 
and  continued  so  to  do,  till  he  had  severed  all  the  muscles, 
and  the  animal,  forced  from  pain  to  lie  down,  was  then 
devoured  as  you  may  say  alive  from  behind  ;  the  hyena 
still  tearing  at  the  same  quarter,  until  he  arrived  at  the 
vital  parts.  By  the  track  which  was  marked  with  the 
blood  of  the  rhinoceros,  the  hyena  must  have  followed  the 
animal  for  many  miles,  until  the  rhinoceros  was  in  such 
pain  that  it  could  proceed  no  farther. — But  if  you  are  to 
hunt  to-morrow  at  daybreak,  it  is  time  to  go  to  sleep ;  so 
good-night." 

At  daybreak  the  next  morning,  they  took  a  hasty  meal, 
and  started  again  for  the  plain.  Swinton  having  to  pre- 
pare his  specimens,  did  not  accompany  them.  There  was 
a  heavy  fog  on  the  plain  when  they  arrived  at  it,  and  they 
waited  for  a  short  time,  skirting  the  south  side  of  it,  with 
the  view  of  drawing  the  animals  towards  the  encampment. 
At  last  the  fog  vanished,  and  discovered  the  whole  country 
as  before,  covered  with  every  variety  of  wild  animals. 
But  as  their  object  was  to  obtain  the  eland  antelope,  they 
remained  stationary  for  some  time,  seeking  for  those 
animals  among  the  varieties  which  were  scattered  in  all 


The  Mission  249 

directions.  At  last  Omrah,  whose  eyes  were  far  keener 
than  even  the  Hottentots',  pointed  out  three  at  a  distance, 
under  a  large  acacia  thorn.  They  immediately  rode  at  a 
trot  in  that  direction,  and  the  various  herds  of  quaggas, 
gnoos,  and  antelopes  scoured  away  before  them ;  and  so 
numerous  were  they,  and  such  was  the  clattering  of  hoofs, 
that  you  might  have  imagined  that  it  was  a  heavy  charge 
of  cavalry.  The  objects  of  their  pursuit  remained  quiet 
until  they  were  within  three  hundred  yards  of  them,  and 
then  they  set  off  at  a  speed,  notwithstanding  their  heavy 
and  unwieldy  appearance,  which  for  a  short  time  com- 
pletely distanced  the  horses.  But  this  speed  could  not  be 
continued,  and  the  Major  and  Alexander  soon  found  them- 
selves rapidly  coming  up.  The  poor  animals  exerted 
themselves  in  vain ;  their  sleek  coats  first  turned  to  a  blue 
colour,  and  then  white  with  foam  and  perspiration,  and  at 
last  they  were  beaten  to  a  standstill,  and  were  brought 
down  by  the  rifles  of  our  travellers,  who  then  dismounted 
their  horses,  and  walked  up  to  the  quarry. 

"  What  magnificent  animals  !  "  exclaimed  Alexander. 

"  They  are  enormous,  certainly,"  said  the  Major. 
"  Look  at  the  beautiful  dying  eye  of  that  noble  beast. 
Is  it  not  speaking  ? " 

"  Yes,  imploring  for  mercy,  as  it  were,  poor  creature." 

"Well,  these  three  beasts,  that  they  say  are  such  good 
eating,  weigh  more  than  fifty  antelopes." 

"  More  than  fifty  springboks,  I  grant.  Well,  what 
shall  we  do  now  ? " 

"  Let  our  horses  get  their  wind  again,  and  then  we  will 
see  if  we  can  fall  in  with  some  new  game." 

"  I  saw  two  or  three  antelopes  of  a  very  different  sort 
from  the  sassabys  and  hartebeests,  towards  that  rising 
ground.  We  will  go  that  way  as  soon  as  the  Hottentots 
come  up  and  take  charge  of  our  game." 

"  Does  Swinton  want  to  preserve  one  of  these  creatures  ? " 

"  I  believe  not,  they  are  so  very  bulky.  He  says  we 
shall  find  plenty  as  we  go  on,  and  that  he  will  not 
encumber  the  wagons  with  a  skin,  until  we  leave  the  Vaal 


250  The  Mission 

river,  and  turn  homewards.  Now,  Bremen  and  Omrah, 
come  with  us." 

The  Major  and  Alexander  then  turned  their  horses' 
heads,  and  rode  slowly  towards  the  hill  which  they  had 
noticed,  and  the  antelopes  that  the  Major  had  observed 
were  now  seen  among  the  bushes  which  crowned  the  hill. 
Bremen  said  that  he  did  not  know  the  animals,  and  the 
Major  was  most  anxious  to  obtain  one  to  surprise  Swinton 
with.  As  soon  as  they  came  within  200  yards  of  the 
bushes  on  the  other  side  of  which  the  antelopes  were  seen, 
the  Major  gave  his  horse  to  Omrah  and  advanced  alone 
very  cautiously,  that  he  might  bring  one  down  with  his 
rifle.  He  gained  the  bushes  without  alarming  the  animals, 
and  the  party  left  behind  were  anxiously  watching  his 
motions,  expecting  him  every  moment  to  fire,  when  the 
Major  suddenly  turned  round  and  came  back  at  a  hurried 
pace. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  said  Alexander. 

"  Matter  enough  to  stop  my  growth  for  all  my  life," 
replied  the  Major.  "  If  ever  my  heart  was  in  my  mouth, 
it  was  just  now.  I  was  advancing  softly,  and  step  by  step, 
towards  the  antelopes,  and  was  just  raising  my  rifle  to  fire, 
when  I  heard  something  flapping  the  ground  three  or  four 
yards  before  me.  I  looked  down,  and  it  was  the  tail  of  a 
lioness,  which  fortunately  was  so  busy  watching  the  ante- 
lopes, with  her  head  the  other  way,  that  she  did  not 
perceive  my  being  near  her ;  whereupon  I  beat  a  retreat, 
as  you  have  witnessed." 

'■*  Well,  what  shall  we  do  now  ? " 

"  Wait  a  little  till  I  have  recovered  my  nerves,"  said  the 
Major,  "  and  then  I'll  be  revenged  upon  her.  Swinton  is 
not  here  to  preach  prudence,  and  have  a  lion-hunt  I  will." 

"With  all  my  heart,"  replied  Alexander.  "Bremen, 
we  are  going  to  attack  the  lioness." 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Bremen;  "then  we  had  better  follow 
Cape  fashion.  We  will  back  the  horses  towards  her,  and 
Omrah  will  hold  them  while  we  will  attack  her.  I  think 
one  only  had  better  fire,  so  we  keep  two  guns  in  reserve." 


The  Mission  251 

"  You  are  right,  Bremen,"  said  Alexander.  "  Then  you 
and  I  will  reserve  our  fire,  and  the  Major  shall  try  his 
rifle  upon  her." 

With  some  difficulty  the  horses  were  backed  towards 
the  bush,  until  the  Major  could  again  distinguish  where 
the  lioness  lay,  at  about  sixty  paces'  distance.  The  animal 
appeared  still  occupied  with  the  game  in  front  of  her, 
watching  her  opportunity  to  spring,  for  her  tail  and  hind- 
quarters were  towards  them.  The  Major  fired,  and  the 
animal  bounded  off  with  a  loud  roar  j  while  the  antelopes 
flew  away  like  the  wind.  The  roar  of  the  lioness  was 
answered  by  a  deep  growl  from  another  part  of  the  bush, 
and  immediately  afterwards  a  lion  bolted  out,  and  bounded 
from  the  bushes  across  the  plain,  to  a  small  mimosa  grove 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  off. 

"  What  a  splendid  animal,"  said  Alexander ;  "  look  at 
his  black  mane,  it  almost  sweeps  the  ground." 

"  We  must  have  him,"  cried  the  Major,  jumping  on  his 
horse. 

Alexander,  Bremen,  and  Omrah  did  the  same,  and  they 
followed  the  lion,  which  stood  at  bay  under  the  mimosas, 
measuring  the  strength  of  the  party,  and  facing  them  in  a 
most  noble  and  imposing  manner.  It  appeared,  however, 
that  he  did  not  like  their  appearance,  or  was  not  satisfied 
with  his  own  position,  for  as  they  advanced  he  retreated  at 
a  slow  pace,  and  took  up  his  position  on  the  summit  of  a 
stony  hill  close  by,  the  front  of  which  was  thickly  dotted 
with  low  thorn  bushes.  The  thorn  bushes  extended  about 
200  yards  from  where  the  lion  stood,  disdainfully  sur- 
veying the  party  as  they  approached  towards  him,  and 
appearing,  with  a  conscious  pride  in  his  own  powers,  to 
dare  them  to  approach  him. 

They  dismounted  from  their  horses  as  soon  as  they 
arrived  at  the  thorn  bushes,  and  the  Major  fired.  The 
rifle-ball  struck  the  rock  close  to  the  lion,  who  replied 
with  an  angry  growl.  The  Major  then  took  the  gun 
from  Omrah  and  fired,  and  again  the  ball  struck  close  to 
the  animal's  feet.     The  lion  now  shook  his  mane,  gave 


252  The  Mission 

another  angry  roar,  and  by  the  glistening  of  his  eyes  and 
the  impatient  switching  of  his  tail,  it  was  evident  that  he 
would  soon  become  the  attacking  party. 

"  Load  both  your  guns  again,"  said  Alexander,  "  and 
then  let  me  have  a  shot,  Major." 

As  soon  as  the  Major's  guns  were  loaded,  Alexander 
took  aim  and  fired.  The  shot  broke  the  lion's  fore-leg, 
which  he  raised  up  with  a  voice  of  thunder,  and  made  a 
spring  from  the  rock  towards  where  our  party  stood. 

"  Steady  now,"  cried  the  Major  to  Bremen,  at  the  same 
time  handing  his  spare  rifle  to  Alexander. 

The  rush  of  the  angry  animal  was  heard  through  the 
bushes  advancing  nearer  and  nearer ;  and  they  all  stood 
prepared  for  the  encounter.  At  last,  out  the  animal 
sprang,  his  mane  bristling  on  end,  his  tail  straight  out, 
and  his  eyeballs  flashing  rage  and  vengeance.  He  came 
down  upon  the  hind-quarters  of  one  of  the  horses,  which 
immediately  started  off,  overthrowing  and  dragging  Omrah 
to  some  distance.  One  of  the  lion's  legs  being  broken, 
had  occasioned  the  animal  to  roll  off  on  the  side  of  the 
horse,  and  he  now  remained  on  the  ground  ready  for  a 
second  spring,  when  he  received  a  shot  through  the  back 
from  Bremen,  who  stood  behind  him.  The  lion,  with 
another  dreadful  roar,  attempted  to  spring  upon  the  Major, 
who  was  ready  with  his  rifle  to  receive  him ;  but  the  shot 
from  Bremen  had  passed  through  his  spine  and  paralysed 
his  hind-quarters,  and  he  made  the  attempt  in  vain,  a 
second  and  a  third  time  throwing  his  fore-quarters  up  in 
the  air,  and  then  falling  down  again,  when  a  bullet  from 
the  Major  passed  through  his  brain.  The  noble  beast 
sunk  down  gnawing  the  ground  and  tearing  it  with  the 
claws  of  the  leg  which  had  not  been  wounded,  and  then, 
in  a  few  seconds,  breathed  his  last. 

"I  am  glad  that  is  over,  Alexander,"  said  the  Major  ; 
"  it  was  almost  too  exciting  to  be  pleasant." 

"  It  was  very  awful  for  the  time,  I  must  acknowledge," 
replied  Alexander ;  "  what  an  enormous  brute  !  I  think  I 
never  saw  such  a  magnificent  skin." 


The  Mission  253 

"  It  is  yours  by  the  laws  of  war,"  said  the  Major. 

M  Nay,"  replied  Alexander,  "  it  was  you  that  gave  him 
his  coup  de  grace? 

"  Yes,  but  if  you  had  not  broken  his  leg,  he  might  have 
given  some  of  us  our  coup  de  grace.  No,  no,  the  skin  is 
yours.  Now  the  horses  are  off,  and  we  cannot  send  for 
the  Hottentots.  They  have  got  rid  of  Omrah,  who  is 
coming  back  with  his  shirt  torn  into  tatters." 

"  The  men  will  catch  the  horses  and  bring  them  here, 
depend  upon  it,  sir,"  said  Bremen,  "  and  then  they  can 
take  off  the  skin." 

"  Well,  if  I  am  to  have  the  lion's  skin,  I  must  have  that 
of  the  lioness  also,  Major  5  so  we  must  finish  our  day's 
hunting  with  forcing  her  to  join  her  mate." 

"  Very  good,  with  all  my  heart." 

"  Better  wait  till  the  men  come  with  the  horses,  sir," 
said  Bremen ;  "  three  guns  are  too  few  to  attack  a  lion — 
very  great  danger  indeed." 

"  Bremen  is  right,  Alexander,  we  must  not  run  such  a 
risk  again.  Depend  upon  it,  if  the  animal's  leg  had  not 
been  broken,  we  should  not  have  had  so  easy  a  conquest. 
Let  us  sit  down  quietly  till  the  men  come  up." 

In  about  half  an  hour,  as  Bremen  had  conjectured,  the 
Hottentots,  perceiving  the  horses  loose,  and  suspecting 
that  something  had  happened,  went  in  chase  of  them,  and 
as  soon  as  they  had  succeeded  in  catching  them,  brought 
them  in  the  direction  to  which  they  had  seen  our  travellers 
ride.  They  were  not  a  little  astonished  at  so  small  a  party 
having  ventured  to  attack  a  lion,  and  gladly  prepared  for 
the  attack  of  the  lioness.  Three  of  the  dogs  having 
accompanied  them,  it  was  decided  that  they  should  be  put 
into  the  bushes  where  the  lioness  was  lying  when  the 
Major  fired  at  her,  so  as  to  discover  where  she  now  was  j 
and  leaving  the  lion  for  the  present,  they  all  set  off  for  the 
first  jungle. 

The  dogs  could  not  find  the  lioness  in  the  bushes,  and 
it  was  evident  that  she  had  retreated  to  some  other  place  j 
and  Swanevelt,  who  was   an   old   lion-hunter,  gave   his 


254  The  Mission 

opinion  that  she  would  be  found  in  the  direction  near  to 
where  the  lion  was  killed.  They  went  therefore  in  that 
direction,  and  found  that  she  was  in  the  clump  of  mimosas 
to  which  the  lion  had  first  retreated.  The  previous 
arrangement  of  backing  the  horses  towards  where  she 
lay,  was  attempted,  but  the  animals  had  been  too  much 
frightened  in  the  morning  by  the  lion's  attack,  to  be 
persuaded.  They  reared  and  plunged  in  such  a  manner, 
as  to  be  with  difficulty  prevented  from  breaking  loose  ; 
it  was  therefore  necessary  to  abandon  that  plan,  and  trust 
to  themselves  and  their  numbers.  The  clump  of  trees  was 
surrounded  by  the  party,  and  the  dogs  encouraged  to  go 
in,  which  they  did,  every  now  and  then  rushing  back  from 
the  paws  of  the  lioness.  The  Hottentots  now  fired  into 
the  clump  at  random,  and  their  volleys  were  answered  by 
the  loud  roars  of  the  animal,  which  would  not  however 
show  herself,  and  half  an  hour  was  passed  away  in  this 
manner. 

At  last  she  was  perceived  at  one  side  of  the  jungle,  by 
Swanevelt,  who  fired  with  effect,  for  the  animal  gave  a 
loud  roar,  and  then  bounded  out,  not  attempting  to  rush 
upon  any  person,  but  to  make  her  escape  from  her 
assailants.  A  volley  was  fired  at  her,  and  one  shot  took 
effect,  for  she  fell  with  her  head  to  the  ground,  and 
tumbled  right  over  5  but  immediately  after  she  recovered 
herself,  and  made  off  for  the  bushes  where  she  had  been 
first  discovered. 

'*  She  was  hit  hard  that  time,  at  all  events,"  said  the 
Major. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  said  Bremen,  "  that  was  her  death-shot, 
I  should  think  ;  but  she  is  not  dead  yet,  and  may  give  us 
a  great  deal  of  trouble." 

They  followed  her  as  fast  as  they  could  on  foot,  and 
the  dogs  were  soon  upon  her  again  ;  the  animal  continued 
to  roar,  and  always  from  the  same  spot,  so  that  it  was 
evident  she  was  severely  wounded.  Alexander  and  the 
Major  reserved  their  fire,  and  approached  to  where  the 
dogs  were  baying,  not  twenty  yards  from   the  jungle. 


The  Mission  255 

Another  roar  was  given,  and  suddenly  the  body  of  the 
lioness  rushed  through  the  air,  right  in  the  direction  where 
they  stood ;  she  passed,  however,  between  them,  and  when 
she  reached  the  ground,  she  fell  on  her  side  quite  dead. 
It  was  her  last  expiring  effort,  and  she  had  died  in  the 
attempt.  Alexander  and  the  Major,  who  were  both  ready 
to  fire,  lowered  their  rifles  when  they  perceived  that  she 
was  dead. 

"Well,"  said  the  Major,  "I  will  say  that  when  I  first 
saw  her  tail,  I  was  more  frightened  than  I  was  just  now, 
when  she  made  the  spring  ;  I  was  so  taken  by  surprise." 

"  I  don't  doubt  it.  She  is  a  very  large  animal,  and  will 
make  a  handsome  companion  to  the  lion.  If  we  live  and 
do  well  and  get  home  to  England  again,  I  will  have  her 
stuffed  along  with  him,  and  put  them  in  the  same  case." 

"  I  trust  you  will,  and  that  I  shall  come  and  see  them," 
replied  the  Major. 

"lam  sure  I  do,  from  my  heart,  my  good  fellow.  I 
am  very  much  pleased  at  our  having  killed  both  these 
beasts,  without  Swinton  being  with  us,  as  he  would  have 
been  persuading  us  to  leave  them  alone." 

"  And  he  would  have  done  very  right,"  replied  the 
Major.  "  We  are  two  naughty  boys,  and  shall  be  well 
scolded  when  we  go  back." 

"Which  I  vote  we  do  now.  I  think  we  have  done 
quite  enough  for  to-day." 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  replied  the  Major,  mounting  his  horse  ; 
"  enough  to  talk  of  all  our  lives.  Now  let  us  gallop  home, 
and  say  nothing  about  having  killed  the  lions  until  the 
Hottentots  bring  them  to  the  caravan." 


Chapter  XXV 

"  Well,  what  sport  have  you  had  ? "  was  Swinton's  first 
question  when  he  was  joined  by  Alexander  and  the  Major. 
Replied  the  latter — "  Pretty  well  j   we  saw  an  antelope 


256  The  Mission 

quite  new  to  us,  which  we  tried  very  hard  to  shoot,  but 
were  prevented  by  an  unexpected  meeting  with  a  lioness." 
The  Major  then  gave  an  account  of  his  perceiving  the  tail 
of  the  lioness  and  his  rapid  retreat. 

"I  am  very  glad  to  hear  that  you  were  so  prudent, 
Major ;  it  would  have  been  a  very  rash  thing  to  attack  a 
lioness  with  only  three  guns — so  the  antelopes  escaped  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  we  have  the  elands,  which  you  say  are  such 
good  eating.  Do  we  stay  here  any  longer,  or  do  we 
proceed  up  the  river  ?  " 

"  You  must  ask  Wilmot  to  decide  that  point,"  said 
Swinton. 

"It  is  just  as  you  please,"  said  Alexander;  "but  they 
say  that  the  more  you  go  to  the  northward,  the  more 
plentiful  is  the  game." 

"  Yes,  and  we  shall  fall  in  with  the  giraffe,"  said  the 
Major,  "  which  is  now  the  great  object  of  my  ambition ; 
I  have  killed  the  rhinoceros  and  elephant,  and  now  I  must 
have  the  giraffe  ;  they  can  kill  the  two  first  animals  in 
India,  but  the  other  is  only  to  be  had  in  this  country." 

"  And  when  you  meet  again  your  Indian  friends,  you 
wish  to  say  that  you  have  killed  what  they  have  not  ? " 

"  Certainly  ;  what  is  the  good  of  travelling  so  far  if  one 
has  not  something  to  boast  of  when  one  returns  ?  If  I 
say,  I  have  hunted  and  killed  the  rhinoceros  and  elephant, 
they  may  reply  to  me,  '  So  have  we ; '  but  if  I  add  the 
giraffe,  that  will  silence  them  ;  don't  you  observe,  Swinton, 
I  then  remain  master  of  the  field  ?  But  here  come  the 
Hottentots  with  our  game ;  come,  Swinton,  leave  your 
preparations  for  a  little  while,  and  see  what  our  morning's 
sport  has  been." 

Swinton  put  aside  the  skin  of  the  sassaby  that  he  was 
cleaning,  and  walked  with  them  to  where  the  men  were 
assembled,  and  was  not  a  little  surprised  when  he  saw  the 
skins  and  jaws  of  the  lion  and  lioness.  He  was  still  more 
so  when  the  Major  recounted  how  they  had  been  shot. 

"  You  certainly  have  run  a  great  risk,"  said  he,  "  and  I 
am  glad  that  you  have  been  so  successful.     You  are  right 


The  Mission  257 

in  saying  that  I  should  have  persuaded  you  not  to  attempt 
it ;  you  are  like  two  little  boys  who  have  taken  advantage 
of  the  absence  of  their  tutor  to  run  into  mischief.  How- 
ever, I  am  glad  that  it  has  been  done,  as  I  now  hope  your 
desire  to  kill  a  lion  will  not  again  lead  you  into  unnecessary 
danger." 

"  No,  indeed,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  having  once  accom- 
plished the  feat,  and  being  fully  aware  of  the  great  risk 
that  is  run,  we  shall  be  more  prudent  in  future." 

"  That  is  all  I  ask  of  you,"  said  Swinton,  "  for  I  should 
be  unhappy  if  we  did  not  all  three  return  safe  to  the  Cape. 
I  never  saw  a  finer  lion's  skin ;  I  will  arrange  it  for  you, 
that  it  shall  arrive  at  the  Cape  in  good  order." 

As  usual,  the  afternoon  was  by  the  Hottentots  devoted 
to  eating  as  much  as  they  could  possibly  contrive  to  get 
down  their  throats  ;  the  flesh  of  the  eland  was  pronounced 
excellent  by  our  travellers,  and  there  was  much  more  than 
they  could  possibly  consume.  The  Hottentots  were  only 
allowed  to  bring  a  certain  quantity  into  the  camp,  that 
they  might  not  attract  the  wild  beasts.  They  would  have 
brought  it  all  in,  although  they  never  could  have  eaten  it. 
The  cattle  were  driven  up  in  the  evening,  the  fires  lighted, 
and  the  night  passed  quietly  away. 

At  daylight  they  turned  the  cattle  out  to  graze  for  a 
couple  of  hours,  and  then  yoked  and  proceeded  on  their 
journey,  keeping  as  near  as  they  could  to  the  banks  of  the 
river.  They  saw  many  hippopotami,  snorting  and  rising 
for  a  moment  above  the  water,  but  they  passed  by  them 
without  attempting  to  shoot  at  them,  as  they  did  not  wish 
to  disturb  the  other  game.  As  they  advanced,  the  variety 
of  flowers  which  were  in  bloom  attracted  the  notice  of 
Alexander,  who  observed — 

"  Does  not  this  plain  put  you  in  mind  of  a  Turkey 
carpet,  Major  j  so  gay  with  every  variety  of  colour  ? " 

"Yes,  and  as  scentless,"  replied  the  Major;  "they  are 
all  very  brilliant  in  appearance ;  but  one  modest  English 
violet  is,  to  my  fancy,  worth  them  all." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  replied  Swinton ;  "  but  still  you 
m  R 


258  The  Mission 

must  acknowledge  that  this  country  is  beautiful  beyond 
description, — these  grassy  meads  so  spangled  with 
numerous  flowers,  and  so  broken  by  the  masses  of  grove 
and  forest !  Look  at  these  aloes  blooming  in  profusion 
with  their  coral  tufts — in  England  what  would  they  pay 
for  such  an  exhibition  ? — and  the  crimson  and  lilac  hues  of 
these  poppies  and  amaryllis  blended  together  :  neither  are 
you  just  in  saying  that  there  is  no  scent  in  this  gay 
parterre.  The  creepers  which  twine  up  those  stately 
trees  are  very  sweetly  scented  ;  and  how  picturesque  are 
the  twinings  of  those  vines  upon  the  mimosas.  I  cannot 
well  imagine  the  garden  of  Eden  to  have  been  more 
beautiful." 

"  And  in  another  respect,  there  is  a  resemblance,"  said 
the  Major,  laughing  ;  "  the  serpent  is  in  it." 

"  Yes,  I  grant  that,"  replied  Swinton. 

"  Well,  I  can  feel  no  real  pleasure  without  security  j  if 
I  am  to  be  ever  on  the  alert  and  turning  my  eyes  in  every 
direction  that  I  may  not  tread  upon  a  pufF  adder,  or  avoid 
the  dart  of  the  cobra  capella,  I  can  feel  little  pleasure  in 
looking  at  the  rich  hues  of  those  flowers  which  conceal 
them.  As  I  said  before,  give  me  the  violet  and  the  rose 
of  England,  which  I  can  pick  and  smell  in  security." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Major,"  said  Alexander  ;  "  but," 
continued  he,  laughing,  "  we  must  make  allowance  for 
Swinton,  as  a  naturalist.  A  pufF  adder  has  a  charm  for 
him,  because  it  adds  one  more  to  the  numerous  specimens 
to  be  obtained ;  and  he  looks  upon  these  flowers  as  a 
botanist,  rejoicing  as  he  adds  to  his  herbal,  or  gathers 
seeds  and  bulbs  to  load  his  wagon  with.  You  might  as 
well  find  fault  with  a  husbandman  for  rejoicing  in  a  rich 
harvest." 

"  Or  with  himself,  for  being  so  delighted  at  the  number 
and  the  variety  of  the  animals  which  fall  to  his  rifle," 
replied  Swinton,  smiling.     "  There  I  have  you,  Major." 

"I  grant  it,"  replied  the  Major;  "but  what  is  that  in 
the  river — the  back  of  a  hippopotamus  ?  " 

"  No,  it  is  the  back  of  an  elephant,  I  should  rather 


The  Mission  259 

think ;  but  the  reeds  are  so  high,  that  it  is  difficult  to 
ascertain.  There  may  be  a  herd  bathing  in  the  river, 
nothing  more  likely." 

"  Let  us  stop  the  caravan  ;  the  creaking  of  these  wheels 
would  drive  away  anything,"  replied  the  Major ;  "  we  will 
then  ride  forward  and  see  what  it  is.  It  is  not  more  than 
half  a  mile  from  us." 

"Be  it  so,"  replied  Swinton.  "  Omrah,  get  the  rifles, 
and  tell  Bremen  to  come  here.  Now,  Major,  is  it  to  be  a 
regular  hunt,  or  only  a  passing  shot  at  them  ;  for  I  now 
perceive  through  my  glass  that  they  are  elephants  ? " 

"  Well,  I  think  a  passing  shot  will  be  best ;  for  if  we 
are  to  hunt,  we  must  send  a  party  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  and  that  will  be  a  tedious  affair." 

"  I  think  myself  it  will  be  better  to  proceed,"  said 
Swinton  ;  "  so,  now  then  to  scatter  the  enemy." 

They  soon  arrived  at  that  part  of  the  river,  where  they 
had  at  a  distance  discovered  the  elephants  bathing,  but 
as  they  approached,  the  high  reeds  prevented  them  from 
seeing  the  animals,  although  they  could  hear  them  plainly. 
At  last,  as  they  proceeded  a  little  farther  up  the  river, 
they  discovered  a  female  with  its  young  one  by  its  side ; 
the  mother  playing  with  its  offspring,  pouring  water  over 
it  with  its  trunk,  and  now  and  then  pressing  it  into  the 
water,  so  as  to  compel  it  to  swim.  They  watched  the 
motions  of  the  animals  for  some  time,  and  the  Major  first 
broke  silence,  by  saying  : 

"  I  really  have  not  the  heart  to  fire  at  the  poor  creature  ; 
its  maternal  kindness,  and  the  playing  of  the  little  one, 
are  too  interesting.  It  would  be  cruel,  now  that  we  do 
not  want  meat,  for  an  eland  is  to  be  killed  every  ten 
minutes." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  replied  Swinton.  "  Let 
us  fire  over  them,  and  set  them  all  in  motion." 

"  Agreed,"  said  the  Major  ;  "  this  is  to  start  them,"  and 
he  fired  off  his  rifle  in  the  air. 

The  noise  that  ensued  was  quite  appalling  ;  the  shrieks 
and  cries  of  the  elephants,  and  the  treading  down  and 


160  The  Mission 

rushing  through  the  reeds,  the  splashing  and  floundering 
in  the  mud,  for  a  few  seconds,  was  followed  by  the 
bounding  out  of  the  whole  herd  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  river,  tossing  their  trunks,  raising  up  their  ears,  roaring 
wildly,  and  starting  through  the  bushes  into  the  forest 
from  which  they  had  descended.  Two  large  males  only 
were  to  be  perceived  among  the  whole  herd,  the  rest  were 
all  females  and  their  young  ones,  who  scrambled  away 
after  the  males,  crowding  together,  but  still  occasionally 
looking  behind  after  their  young  ones,  till  they  had  all 
disappeared  in  the  forest,  the  cracking  and  crushing  of  the 
bushes  in  which  were  heard  for  many  minutes  after- 
wards. 

"  That  was  a  splendid  scene,"  said  Alexander. 

"  Yes,  it  was  a  living  panorama,  which  one  must  come 
to  Africa  to  behold." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  I  shall  ever  become  a  true  elephant 
hunter,"  said  the  Major.  "  I  feel  a  sort  of  repugnance  to 
destroy  so  sagacious  an  animal,  and  a  degree  of  remorse 
when  one  lies  dead.  At  the  same  time,  if  once  accustomed 
to  the  fearful  crashing  and  noise  attending  their  move- 
ments, I  do  not  consider  them  very  dangerous  animals  to 
pursue." 

"  Not  if  people  are  cool  and  collected.  We  have  had 
several  famous  elephant  hunters  among  the  Dutch  farmers. 
I  remember  that  one  of  them,  after  a  return  from  a 
successful  chase,  made  a  bet,  that  he  would  go  up  to  a 
wild  elephant,  and  pluck  eight  hairs  out  of  his  tail.  He 
did  so  and  won  his  bet,  for  the  elephant  cannot  see  behind 
him,  and  is  not  very  quick  in  turning  round.  However,  a 
short  time  afterwards  he  made  the  same  attempt,  and  being 
fool-hardy  from  success,  the  animal  was  too  quick  for  him, 
and  he  was  crushed  to  death." 

Bremen  now  came  up  to  them,  to  say  that  there  was  a 
party  of  people  to  the  eastward,  and  he  thought  that  there 
was  a  wagon.  On  examination  with  their  telescopes,  they 
found  that  such  was  the  case  ;  and  our  travellers  turned 
their  horses'  heads  in  the  direction,  to  ascertain  who  they 


The  Mission  261 

might  be,  leaving  the  caravan  to  proceed  by  the  banks 
of  the  river.  In  about  an  hour,  they  came  close  to  them, 
and  Swinton  immediately  recognised  them  as  Griquas,  or 
mixed  European  and  Hottentot  races.  Of  course,  they 
met  in  the  most  friendly  manner,  and  the  Griquas  said 
that  they  had  come  to  hunt  the  elephant,  eland,  and  other 
animals  ;  the  former  for  their  ivory,  and  the  latter  for  their 
flesh.  Their  wagon,  which  was  a  very  old  one,  was 
loaded  with  flesh,  cut  up  in  long  strips,  and  hanging  to 
dry  j  and  they  had  a  great  many  hundred-weight  of  ivory, 
which  they  had  already  collected.  As  soon  as  our 
travellers  had  explained  to  them  their  own  motions,  the 
Griquas  said  that  they  would  bring  their  wagon  down 
in  the  evening,  and  encamp  with  them.  Our  travellers 
then  returned  to  the  caravan. 

As  they  promised,  the  Griquas  joined  them  late  in  the 
afternoon.  They  were  a  party  of  sixteen ;  all  stout  fellows, 
and  armed  with  the  long  guns  used  by  the  Dutch  boors. 
They  said  that  they  had  been  two  months  from  Griqua 
town,  and  were  thinking  of  returning  very  soon,  as  their 
wagon  was  loaded  to  the  extent  that  it  would  bear.  The 
Major  stating  that  it  was  their  intention  to  hunt  the  giraffe, 
the  Griquas  informed  them  that  they  would  not  find  the 
animal  to  the  southward  of  the  Vaal  river,  and  that  they 
would  have  to  cross  over  into  the  territories  of  the  king 
Moselekatsee,  who  ruled  over  the  Bechuana  country,  to 
the  northward  of  the  river ;  and  that  it  would  be  very 
dangerous  to  attempt  so  to  do  without  his  permission ; 
indeed,  that  there  would  be  danger  in  doing  so,  even 
with  it. 

"  Do  you  know  anything  of  this  person,  Swinton  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  have  heard  of  him,  but  I  did  not  know  that  he 
had  extended  his  conquests  so  low  down  as  to  the  Vaal 
river." 

"  Who  is  he  ?  " 

"  You  have  heard  of  Chaka,  the  king  of  the  Zoolus, 
who  conquered  the  whole  country,  as  far  as  Port  Natal  to 
the  eastward  ? " 


262  The  Mission 

"  Yes,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  we  have  heard  of 
him." 

"  Well,  Moselekatsee  was  a  chief  of  two  or  three  tribes, 
who,  when  hard  pressed  by  his  enemies,  took  refuge  with 
Chaka,  and  became  one  of  his  principal  warrior  chiefs. 
After  a  time  he  quarrelled  with  Chaka,  about  the  distribu- 
tion of  some  cattle  they  had  taken,  and  aware  that  he  had 
no  mercy  to  expect  from  the  tyrant,  he  revolted  from  him 
with  a  large  force,  and  withdrew  to  the  Bechuana  country. 
There  he  conquered  all  the  tribes,  enrolled  them  in  his 
own  army,  and  gradually  became  as  formidable  as  Chaka 
himself.  In  the  arrangements  of  his  army,  he  followed  the 
same  plans  as  Chaka,  and  has  now  become  a  most  powerful 
monarch,  and  they  do  say,  is  almost  as  great  a  tyrant  and 
despot  as  Chaka  himself  was.  I  believe  that  the  Griquas 
are  right,  in  saying  there  would  be  danger  in  passing 
through  his  dominions  without  his  permission." 

"  But,"  said  Alexander,  "  I  suppose  if  we  send  a  message 
to  him  and  presents,  there  will  be  no  difficulty  ? " 

"Perhaps  not,  except  that  our  caravan  may  excite  his 
cupidity,  and  he  may  be  induced  to  delay  us,  to  obtain 
possession  of  its  contents.  However,  we  had  better  put 
this  question  to  the  Griquas,  who  probably  can  answer  it 
better." 

The  Griquas,  on  being  questioned,  replied,  that  the  best 
plan  would  be,  to  send  a  message  to  the  Matabili  capital, 
where  Moselekatsee  resided,  requesting  permission  to  hunt 
in  the  country,  and  begging  the  monarch  to  send  some  of 
his  principal  men,  to  receive  the  presents  which  they  had 
to  offer ; — that  it  would  not  take  long  to  receive  an  answer, 
as  it  would  only  be  necessary  to  deliver  the  message  to  the 
first  officer  belonging  to  Moselekatsee,  at  the  advanced 
posts.  That  officer  would  immediately  despatch  a  native 
with  the  message,  who  would  arrive  much  sooner  than 
anyone  they  could  send  themselves.  Bremen  and  three 
other  Hottentots  offered  to  take  the  message,  if  our  travel- 
lers wished  it ;  this  was  agreed  to,  and  that  afternoon  they 
mounted  their  horses,  and  crossed  the  river.     By  the  advice 


The  Mission  2,63 

of  the  Griquas,  the  camp  was  shifted  about  a  mile  farther 
up  the  river,  on  account  of  the  lions. 

The  weather  now  threatened  a  change  5  masses  of  clouds 
accumulated,  but  were  again  dispersed.  The  next  day, 
the  weather  was  again  threatening  j  thunder  pealed  in  the 
distant  mountains,  and  the  forked  lightning  flew  in  every 
direction ;  but  the  rain,  if  any,  was  expended  on  the  neigh- 
bouring hills. 

A  strong  wind  soon  blew  up  so  as  to  try  the  strength 
of  the  canvas  awnings  of  their  wagons,  and  they  found  it 
difficult  to  keep  their  fires  in  at  night.  They  had  en- 
camped upon  a  wide  plain  covered  with  high  grass,  and 
abounding  with  elands  and  other  varieties  of  antelopes : 
here  they  remained  for  five  days,  waiting  the  reply  of  the 
king  of  the  Matabili,  and  went  out  every  day  to  procure 
game.  On  the  Sabbath-day,  after  they  had  as  usual  per- 
formed divine  service,  they  observed  a  heavy  smoke  to 
windward,  which,  as  the  wind  was  fresh,  soon  bore  down 
upon  them  and  inconvenienced  them  much. 

Swanevelt  stated  that  the  high  grass  had  been  fired  by 
some  means  or  another,  and  as  it  threatened  to  come  down 
upon  the  encampment,  the  Hottentots  and  Griquas  were 
very  busy  beating  down  the  grass  round  about  them. 
When  they  had  so  done,  they  went  to  windward  some 
hundred  yards  and  set  fire  to  the  grass  in  several  places ; 
the  grass  burnt  quickly,  till  it  arrived  at  where  it  had  been 
beaten  down,  and  the  fire  was  extinguished.  That  this 
was  a  necessary  precaution  was  fully  proved,  for  as  the 
night  closed  in,  the  whole  country  for  miles  was  on  fire, 
and  the  wind  bore  the  flames  down  rapidly  towards  them. 

The  sky  was  covered  with  clouds,  and  the  darkness  of 
the  night  made  the  flames  appear  still  more  vivid  j  the  wind 
drove  them  along  with  a  loud  crackling  noise,  sweeping 
over  the  undulating  ground,  now  rising  and  now  dis- 
appearing in  the  hollows,  the  whole  landscape  lighted  up 
for  miles. 

As  our  travellers  watched  the  progress  of  the  flames  and 
every  now  and  then  observed  a  terrified  antelope  spring 


264  The  Mission 

from  its  lair,  and  appearing  like  a  black  figure  in  a  phantas- 
magoria, suddenly  the  storm  burst  upon  them  and  the  rain 
poured  down  in  torrents,  accompanied  with  large  hailstones 
and  thunder  and  lightning.  The  wind  was  instantly  lulled, 
and  after  the  first  burst  of  the  storm  a  deathlike  silence 
succeeded  to  the  crackling  of  the  flames.  A  deluge  of 
rain  descended,  and  in  an  instant  every  spark  of  the  con- 
flagration was  extinguished,  and  the  pitchy  darkness  of  the 
night  was  unbroken  by  even  a  solitary  star. 

The  next  morning  was  bright  and  clear,  and,  after 
breakfast,  they  perceived  the  Hottentots  who  had  been 
sent  on  their  message  to  Moselekatsee,  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  river  accompanied  by  three  of  the  natives  ; 
they  soon  crossed  the  river  and  came  to  the  encampment. 
The  natives,  who  were  Matabili,  were  tall,  powerful  men, 
well  proportioned  and  with  regular  features  j  their  hair 
was  shorn,  and  surmounted  with  an  oval  ring  attached  to 
the  scalp,  and  the  lobe  of  their  left  ears  was  perforated 
with  such  a  large  hole,  that  it  contained  a  small  gourd, 
which  was  used  as  a  snuff-box.  Their  dress  was  a  girdle 
of  strips  of  catskins,  and  they  each  carried  two  javelins  and 
a  knobbed  stick  for  throwing. 

They  were  heartily  welcomed  by  our  travellers,  who 
placed  before  them  a  large  quantity  of  eland  steaks,  and 
filled  their  boxes  with  snuff.  As  soon  as  they  had  finished 
eating,  and  drawn  up  a  large  quantity  of  snuff  into  their 
nostrils,  they  explained  through  the  Griquas,  who  could 
speak  their  language,  that  they  had  come  from  the  greatest 
of  all  monarchs  in  the  world,  Moselekatsee,  who  wished 
to  know  who  the  strangers  were,  what  they  wanted  of  him, 
and  what  presents  they  had  brought. 

Swinton,  who  was  spokesman,  returned  for  answer  that 
they  were  hunters,  and  not  traders  j  that  they  had  come  to 
see  the  wonders  of  the  country  belonging  to  so  great  a 
monarch,  and  that  hearing  that  his  majesty  had  animals  in 
his  country  which  were  not  to  be  found  elsewhere,  they 
wanted  permission  to  kill  some,  to  show  upon  their  return 
to  their  own  people  what  a  wonderful  country  it  was  that 


The  Mission  2,65 

belonged  to  so  great  a  monarch  ; — that  they  had  brought 
beads  and  copper  wire,  and  knives,  and  boxes  for  making 
fire,  and  snufF  and  tobacco,  all  of  which  they  wished  to 
present  to  the  great  monarch ;  a  part  as  soon  as  they  had 
received  his  permission  to  enter  his  territory,  and  another 
part  when  they  were  about  to  leave  it.  A  handsome 
present  of  the  above  articles  was  then  produced,  and  the 
messengers  of  the  king  having  surveyed  the  articles  with 
some  astonishment,  declared  that  their  king  would  feel 
very  glad  when  he  saw  all  these  things,  and  that  he  had 
desired  them  to  tell  our  travellers  that  they  might  come 
into  his  dominions  with  safety,  and  kill  all  the  animals  that 
they  pleased.  That  his  majesty  had  commanded  one  of 
them  to  remain  with  the  party,  and  that  as  soon  as  he  had 
received  his  presents,  he  would  send  a  chief  to  be  answer- 
able for  their  safety.  The  Matabili  then  packed  up  the 
articles  presented,  and  two  of  them  set  ofF  at  full  speed  on 
their  return  to  the  king.  The  third,  who  remained, 
assured  our  travellers  that  they  might  cross  the  river  and 
enter  the  Matabili  country  as  soon  as  they  pleased. 

A  debate  now  ensued  as  to  whether  they  should  go  with 
their  whole  force  or  not.  The  Matabili  had  informed  them 
that  in  three  days'  journey  they  would  fall  in  with  the 
giraffe,  which  they  were  in  search  of,  and  as  there  would 
be  some  risk  in  crossing  the  river,  and  they  had  every 
reason  to  expect  that  it  would  soon  rise,  the  question  was 
whether  it  would  be  prudent  to  take  over  even  one  of  the 
wagons.  The  opinion  of  the  Griquas  was  asked,  and  it 
was  ultimately  arranged  that  they  should  take  over 
Alexander's  wagon  only,  with  fifteen  pair  of  oxen,  and 
that  some  of  the  Griquas  should  accompany  them,  with 
Swanevelt,  Omrah,  and  Mahommed ; — that  Bremen  and 
the  Hottentots  should  remain  where  they  were,  with  the 
other  three  wagons  and  the  rest  of  the  Griquas,  until  our 
travellers  should  return. 

This  arrangement  was  not  at  all  disagreeable  to  the 
Hottentots,  who  did  not  much  like  the  idea  of  entering  the 
Matabili  country,   and  were  very  happy  in  their  present 


266  The  Mission 

quarters,  as  they  were  plentifully  provided  with  good  meat. 
Alexander's  wagon  was  therefore  arranged  so  as  to  carry 
the  bedding  and  articles  they  might  require,  all  other 
things  being  removed  to  the  other  wagons.  Their  best 
oxen  were  selected  and  eight  of  the  fleetest  of  their  horses, 
and  on  the  following  morning,  having  ascertained  from  the 
Matabili  the  best  place  to  cross  the  river,  our  travellers  set 
off,  and  in  an  hour  were  on  the  other  side. 

There  was  no  change  in  the  country  during  the  first 
day's  journey  ;  the  same  variety  and  brilliancy  of  flowers 
were  everywhere  to  be  seen.  The  eland  and  the  other 
antelopes  were  plentiful,  and  they  were  soon  joined  by 
parties  of  the  natives,  who  requested  them  to  shoot  the 
animals  for  them,  which  they  did  in  quantities  even 
sufficient  to  satisfy  them.  Indeed  if  they  found  them 
troublesome,  our  travellers  had  only  to  bring  down  an 
eland,  and  the  natives  were  immediately  left  behind  that 
they  might  devour  the  animal,  which  was  done  in  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time.  The  Matabili  who  had 
conducted  them  proved  to  be  a  chief,  and  if  he  gave  any 
order  it  was  instantly  obeyed ;  so  that  our  travellers  had 
no  trouble  with  the  natives  except  their  begging  and 
praying  for  snuff,  which  was  incessant  both  from  the  men 
and  women.  Neither  did  they  fear  any  treachery  from  the 
Matabili  king,  as  they  were  well  armed,  and  the  Griquas 
were  brave  men,  and  the  superiority  of  their  weapons 
made  them  a  match  for  a  large  force.  Every  precau- 
tion, however,  was  taken  when  they  halted  at  night, 
which  they  invariably  did  in  the  centre  of  an  open  plain,  to 
prevent  any  surprise ;  and  large  fires  were  lighted  round 
the  wagon. 

They  travelled  on  in  this  way  for  two  days  more,  when 
in  the  evening  they  arrived  at  a  large  plain  sprinkled  with 
mimosa  trees,  and  abutting  on  the  foot  of  a  low  range  of 
hills.  The  Matabili  told  them  that  they  would  find  the 
giraffes  on  these  plains,  and  the  Major,  who  was  very 
anxious,  kept  his  telescope  to  his  eye,  looking  round  in 
every    direction   till    nightfall,    but    did   not   succeed    in 


The  Mission  267 

descrying  any  of  the  objects  of  his  search.  They  retired 
that  night  with  anxious  expectation  for  the  following 
morning,  when  they  anticipated  that  they  should  fall 
in  with  these  remarkable  animals.  Their  guns  were 
examined  and  every  precaution  taken,  and  having  lighted 
their  fires  and  set  the  watch,  they  went  to  bed ;  and  after 
commending  themselves  to  the  care  of  Providence,  were 
soon  fast  asleep. 


Chapter  XXVI 

With  the  exception  of  three  lions  coming  very  near  to 
the  encampment  and  rousing  up  the  Griquas,  nothing 
occurred  during  the  night.  In  the  morning  they  yoked 
the  oxen  and  had  all  the  horses  saddled  ready  for  the 
chase,  but  they  were  disappointed  for  nearly  the  whole 
day ;  as,  although  they  saw  a  variety  of  game,  no  giraffe 
appeared  in  sight.  In  the  afternoon,  as  they  passed  by 
a  clump  of  mimosas,  they  were  charged  by  a  rhinoceros, 
which  nearly  threw  down  Alexander's  best  horse,  but 
a  volley  from  the  Griquas  laid  him  prostrate.  It  was  a 
very  large  animal,  but  not  of  the  black  or  ferocious  sort, 
being  what  is  termed  the  white  rhinoceros.  Within  the 
last  two  days  they  had  also  observed  that  the  gnoo  was 
not  of  the  same  sort  as  the  one  which  they  had  seen  so 
long,  but  a  variety  which  Swinton  told  them  was  called 
the  brindled  gnoo  j  it  was,  however,  in  every  other 
respect  the  same  animal,  as  to  its  motions  and  peculiarities. 
Towards  the  evening,  the  Matabili  warrior  who  ac- 
companied them  pointed  to  a  mimosa  at  a  distance  and 
made  signs  to  the  Major  that  there  was  a  giraffe. 

"I  cannot  see  him, — do  you,  Alexander?"  said  the 
Major ;  "  he  points  to  that  mimosa  with  the  dead  stump 
on  the  other  side  of  it,  there.  Yes,  it  is  one,  I  see  the 
stump,  as  I  called  it,  move  ;  it  must  be  the  neck  of  the 
animal.     Let  loose  the  dogs,  Swanevelt,"  cried  the  Major, 


268  The  Mission 

starting  off  at  full  speed,  and  followed  by  Alexander  and 
Omrah  with  the  spare  horse.  In  a  minute  or  two  the 
giraffe  was  seen  to  get  clear  of  the  mimosa,  and  then 
set  off  in  an  awkward,  shambling  kind  of  gallop  ;  but 
awkward  as  the  gallop  appeared,  the  animal  soon  left  the 
Major  behind.  It  sailed  along  with  incredible  velocity, 
its  long  swan-like  neck  keeping  time  with  its  legs,  and 
its  black  tail  curled  above  its  back. 

"  Push  on,  Alexander,"  cried  the  Major ;  "  if  ever 
there  were  seven-league  boots,  that  animal  has  a  pair  of 
them  on.  He  goes  like  the  wind ;  but  he  cannot  keep 
it  up  long,  depend  upon  it,  and  our  horses  are  in  capital 
condition." 

Alexander  and  the  Major  were  now  neck  and  neck, 
close  to  each  other,  at  full  speed,  when  of  a  sudden,  the 
Major's  horse  stumbled  and  fell  upon  an  ostrich,  which 
was  sitting  on  her  nest ;  Alexander's  horse  also  tumbled, 
and  followed  after  the  Major,  and  there  they  were,  horses 
and  riders,  all  rolling  together  among  the  ostrich-eggs  ; 
while  the  ostrich  gained  her  legs,  and  ran  off  as  fast  as 
the  giraffe. 

As  soon  as  they  had  got  on  their  legs  again,  and 
caught  the  bridles  of  their  horses,  they  looked  round, 
but  could  not  distinguish  the  giraffe,  which  was  out  of 
sight  among  the  mimosa  trees  ;  while  Omrah  was  very 
busy  picking  up  their  rifles,  and  laughing  in  a  very  dis- 
respectful manner.  The  Major  and  Alexander  soon 
joined  in  the  laugh.  No  bones  were  broken,  and  the 
horses  had  received  no  injury.  All  they  had  to  do  was 
to  return  to  the  caravan,  looking  very  foolish. 

"  Your  first  essay  in  giraffe-hunting  has  been  very 
successful,"  said  Swinton,  laughing,  as  they  came  up  to 
him. 

"  Yes,  we  both  threw  very  pretty  summersets,  did  we 
not  ? "  said  Alexander.  "  However,  we  have  got  some 
ostrich  eggs  for  supper,  and  that  is  better  than  nothing. 
It  will  soon  be  dark,  so  we  had  better  encamp  for  the 
night,  had  we  not  ?  " 


The  Mission  269 

"  I  was  about  to  propose  it,"  said  Swinton. 

"  Did  you  ever  hunt  the  giraffe,  Swinton  ? "  inquired 
Alexander,  as  they  were  making  their  supper  on  roasted 
ostrich  eggs  ;  each  of  them  holding  one  between  his  knees, 
and  dipping  out  with  a  large  spoon. 

"Never,"  replied  Swinton;  "I  have  often  seen  them 
in  Namaqua  Land,  but  never  killed  one.  I  remember, 
however,  a  circumstance  connected  with  the  giraffe,  which 
would  have  been  incredible  to  me,  if  I  had  not  seen  the 
remains  of  the  lion.  You  are  well  aware  how  long  and 
strong  are  the  thorns  of  the  mimosa  (or  Kamel  tree,  as  the 
Dutch  call  it,  from  the  giraffe  browsing  upon  it),  and  how 
the  boughs  of  these  trees  lie  like  an  umbrella,  close  upon 
one  another.  A  native  chief  informed  me,  that  he 
witnessed  a  lion  attacking  a  giraffe.  The  lion  always 
springs  at  the  head  or  neck,  and  seizes  the  animal  by  that 
part,  riding  him,  as  it  were.  The  giraffe  sets  off  at  full 
speed  with  its  enemy,  and  is  so  powerful  as  often  to  get 
rid  of  him ;  for  I  have  seen  giraffes  killed,  which  had  the 
marks  of  the  lion's  teeth  and  claws  upon  them.  In  this 
instance  the  lion  made  a  spring,  but  the  giraffe  at  that 
very  moment  turning  sharp  round,  the  lion  missed  his  aim, 
and  by  the  blow  it  received  was  tossed  in  the  air,  so  that 
he  fell  upon  the  boughs  of  the  mimosa  on  his  back.  The 
boughs  were  not  only  compact  enough  to  bear  his  weight, 
but  the  thorns  that  pierced  through  his  body,  were  so 
strong  as  to  hold  the  enormous  animal  where  he  lay.  He 
could  not  disengage  himself;  and  they  pointed  out  to  me 
the  skeleton  on  the  boughs  of  the  tree,  as  a  corroboration 
of  the  truth  of  the  story." 

"It  does  really  approach  to  the  marvellous,"  observed 
the  Major  ;  "  but  as  you  say,  seeing  is  believing.  I  trust 
that  we  shall  be  more  fortunate  to-morrow." 

"  I  have  gained  a  piece  of  information  from  Swanevelt," 
said  Swinton,  "  which  makes  me  very  anxious  that  we 
should  leave  this  as  soon  as  possible ;  which  is,  that  the 
Matabili  king  had  no  idea  that  we  had  Griquas  in  our 
company,    and  still   less  that   we  were  to  come  into  his 


270  The  Mission 

country  with  only  the  Griquas  as  attendants.  You  are 
not  perhaps  aware  that  Moselekatsee  is  the  deadly  enemy 
of  the  Griquas,  with  whom  he  has  had  several  severe 
conflicts,  and  that  we  are  not  very  safe  on  that  account  ? " 

"Why  did  not  the  Griquas  say  so  ?  "  replied  Alexander. 

"  Because  they  do  not  care  for  the  Matabili,  and  I 
presume  are  glad  to  come  into  the  country,  that  they  may 
know  something  of  it,  in  case  of  their  making  an  attack 
upon  it.  Depend  upon  it,  as  soon  as  the  king  hears  of  it, 
we  shall  be  looked  upon  as  spies,  and  he  may  send  a  party 
to  cut  us  off." 

"  Have  you  said  anything  to  the  Griquas  ?" 

"  Yes,  and  they  laughed,  and  said  that  they  should  not 
care  if  we  went  right  up  to  the  principal  town,  where 
Moselekatsee  resides." 

"  Well,  they  are  bold  enough,  and  so  far  are  good 
travelling  companions  ;  but  we  certainly  did  not  come  here 
to  fight,"  observed  the  Major.  "  But  does  the  Matabili 
with  us  know  that  they  are  Griquas  ?  " 

"  He  did  not ;  he  supposed  that  they  were  Cape  people 
whom  we  had  brought  with  us ;  but  he  has  found  it  out 
by  the  Hottentots,  I  suppose.  Swanevelt  says,  that  the 
very  first  body  of  Matabili  that  we  fell  in  with,  he  sent 
a  runner  off  immediately,  I  presume  to  give  the  information. 
I  think  therefore  that  the  sooner  we  can  get  away  the 
better." 

"  Well,  I  agree  with  you,  Swinton,"  replied  Alexander. 
"  We  will  try  for  the  giraffe  to-morrow,  and  when  the 
Major  has  had  the  satisfaction  of  killing  one,  we  will 
retrace  our  steps  ;  for  should  we  be  attacked,  it  will  be 
impossible  to  defend  ourselves  long  against  numbers. 
So  now  to  bed." 

They  rose  early  the  next  morning,  and  leaving  the 
wagon  where  it  was,  again  proceeded  on  horseback  in 
search  of  the  giraffes.  They  rode  at  a  slow  pace  for  four 
or  five  miles,  before  they  could  discover  any.  At  last  a 
herd  of  them  were  seen  standing  together  browsing  on  the 
leaves  of  the  mimosa.     They  made  a  long  circuit  to  turn 


The  Mission  271 

them,  and  drive  them  towards  the  camp,  and  in  this  they 
succeeded.  The  animals  set  off  at  their  usual  rapid  pace, 
but  did  not  keep  it  up  long,  as  there  were  several  not  full 
grown  among  them,  which  could  not  get  over  the  ground 
so  fast  as  the  large  male  of  the  preceding  day.  After  a 
chase  of  three  miles,  they  found  that  the  animals'  speed 
was  rapidly  decreasing,  and  they  were  coming  up  with 
them.  When  within  a  hundred  yards,  Alexander  fired, 
and  wounded  a  female,  which  was  in  the  rear.  The 
Major  pushed  on  with  the  dogs,  after  a  large  male,  and 
it  stopped  at  bay  under  a  mimosa,  kicking  most  furiously 
at  the  dogs.  The  Major  levelled  his  rifle,  and  brought 
the  animal  down  with  his  first  shot.  It  rose  again, 
however,  and  for  a  hundred  yards  went  away  at  a  fast 
pace  ;  but  it  again  fell  to  rise  no  more.  The  female 
which  Alexander  had  wounded,  received  another  shot,  and 
was  then  also  prostrated. 

"  I  have  killed  a  giraffe"  said  the  Major,  standing  by 
the  side  of  the  one  he  had  killed.  "  It  has  been  a  long 
way  to  travel,  and  there  have  been  some  dangers  to 
encounter  for  the  sake  of  performing  this  feat  j  but  we 
have  all  our  follies,  and  are  eager  in  the  pursuit  of  just  as 
great  trifles  through  life ;  so  that  in  this  I  am  not  perhaps 
more  foolish  than  the  rest  of  mankind.  I  have  obtained 
my  wishes — I  have  killed  a  giraffe  ;  and  now  I  don't  care 
how  soon  we  go  back  again." 

"  Nor  I,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  for  I  can  say  with  you, 
when  we  arrive  in  England,  I  too  have  killed  a  giraffe  j  so 
you  will  not  be  able  to  boast  over  me.  By  Swinton's 
account,  if  we  stay  here  much  longer,  we  shall  have  to 
kill  Matabili,  which  I  am  not  anxious  to  do  j  therefore,  I 
now  say  with  you,  I  don't  care  how  soon  we  go  back  to 
the  Cape." 

As  they  were  not  more  than  two  miles  from  the  wagon, 
they  rode  back,  and  sent  the  Griquas  to  bring  in  the  flesh 
of  the  animals  ;  Swinton  not  caring  about  the  skins,  as  he 
had  already  procured  some  in  Namaqua  Land,  and  the 
weight  of  them  would  be  so  very  great  for  the  wagon. 


272  The  Mission 

On  their  return,  they  had  some  conversation  with  the 
Griquas,  who  candidly  acknowledged  that  it  was  very  likely 
that  the  Matabili  king  would  attempt  to  cut  them  off, 
although  they  appeared  not  at  all  afraid  of  his  making  the 
attempt.  They,  however,  readily  consented  to  return  the 
next  morning.  That  night,  a  messenger  arrived  to  the 
Matabili  chief  who  was  escorting  them.  What  was  the 
communication,  of  course  our  travellers  could  not  tell  •,  but 
their  suspicions  were  confirmed  by  the  behaviour  of  the 
man.  When  he  found  that,  on  the  following  morning,  they 
yoked  the  oxen  and  retraced  their  steps,  he  begged  them 
not  to  go,  but  to  advance  into  the  interior  of  the  country, 
where  they  would  find  plenty  of  game  ;  told  them  that 
the  king  would  be  very  angry  if  they  left  so  soon  ;  and  if 
he  did  not  see  them,  his  heart  would  be  very  sad.  But 
our  travellers  had  made  up  their  mind,  and  travelled  back 
during  the  whole  of  that  day.  The  Matabili  despatched 
the  messenger  who  had  come  to  him,  and  who  again  set 
off  at  all  speed  ;  at  night  he  urged  our  travellers  not  to  go 
back,  saying  that  the  king  would  be  very  angry  with  him. 
But  as  the  Griquas  were  now  equally  convinced  that 
treachery  was  intended,  they  paid  no  attention  to  the 
Matabili  chief,  and  continued  their  route,  shooting  elands 
by  the  way  for  their  sustenance.  Late  in  the  evening  of 
the  third  day  they  found  themselves  on  the  borders  of  the 
Vaal  River.  It  was  still  two  hours  before  dark,  and  as 
the  Matabili  pressed  them  to  encamp  where  they  were, 
they  were  satisfied  that  they  had  better  not,  and  therefore 
they  forded  the  river,  and  rejoined  the  caravan,  under 
charge  of  Bremen,  just  as  night  closed  in. 

The  Griquas  said,  that  from  the  Matabili  wishing  them 
to  remain  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  they  were  per- 
suaded that  a  force  would  arrive  during  that  night  or  the 
following  morning,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  be 
on  the  look-out ;  although  probably  the  enemy  would  not 
venture  to  attack  them  without  further  orders,  now  that 
they  were  no  longer  in  Moselekatsee's  dominions.  Every 
preparation  was  therefore  made  :  the  Griquas  and  Hotten- 


The  Mission  273 

tots  were  all  supplied  with  ammunition,  and  mustered 
with  their  guns  in  their  hands.  The  wagons  were 
arranged,  the  fires  lighted,  and  four  men  were  posted  as 
sentinels  round  the  encampment.  What  added  still  more 
to  their  suspicions,  was,  that  about  an  hour  after  dark,  the 
Matabili  chief  was  not  to  be  found. 

"  My  opinion  is,"  said  the  Major,  "  that  we  ought  to 
steal  a  march  upon  them.  Our  oxen  are  in  excellent 
condition,  and  may  travel  till  to-morrow  evening  without 
feeling  it.  Let  us  yoke  and  be  off  at  once,  now  that  it  is 
dark.  The  moon  will  rise  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
morning ;  but  before  that,  the  wagons  will  be  twelve  or 
fifteen  miles  off.  Alexander  and  I,  with  Bremen,  will 
remain  here  with  our  horses,  and  wait  till  the  moon  rises, 
to  see  if  we  can  discover  anything  ;  and  we  can  easily  join 
the  wagons  by  daybreak.  We  will  keep  the  fires  up,  to 
allow  them  to  suppose  that  we  are  still  encamped,  that 
they  may  not  pursue." 

"  And  also  to  keep  off  the  lions,"  observed  Alexander  ; 
"  which  are  not  enemies  to  be  despised." 

"  I  think  it  is  a  very  good  plan ;  but  why  not  have 
more  men  with  you  ?  We  have  plenty  of  horses,  and  so 
have  the  Griquas." 

"  Well,  then,  let  us  talk  to  the  Griquas." 

The  Griquas  approved  of  the  plan ;  and  having  their 
own  horses,  six  of  them  agreed  to  remain  with  Alexander 
and  the  Major,  and  Swanevelt  and  two  more  of  the 
Hottentots  were  also  mounted  to  remain ;  which  made  a 
force  of  twelve  men,  well  mounted  and  well  armed.  The 
remainder  of  the  caravan  yoked  the  oxen  to  the  wagons, 
and,  under  the  direction  of  Swinton,  set  off  in  a  southerly 
direction,  across  the  desert,  instead  of  going  by  the  banks 
of  the  Vaal  River,  as  before. 

This  had  been  arranged  previously  to  any  expected 
attack  from  the  Matabili,  as  it  would  considerably  shorten 
the  distance  on  returning,  although  they  knew  that  they 
would  find  much  difficulty  in  procuring  water  for  a  few 
days.  After  the  caravan  had  departed,  it  was  found  that 
M  s 


274  The  Mission 

Omrah  had  helped  himself  to  a  horse  and  a  gun,  and  had 
remained  in  the  camp ;  but  as  he  was  always  useful,  his 
so  doing  was  passed  over  without  notice.  In  half  an  hour, 
the  wagons  were  out  of  sight,  and  the  noise  of  their 
wheels  was  no  longer  to  be  heard. 

They  fastened  their  horses  in  the  centre  of  the  fires, 
and  sat  down  by  them  till  the  moon  rose,  when  they 
directed  their  eyes  to  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river ;  but, 
for  some  time  nothing  was  discovered,  to  confirm  their 
suspicions.  When  the  moon  was  about  an  hour  high, 
they  perceived  a  body  of  men  coming  down  towards  the 
banks,  and  the  moon  shone  upon  their  shields,  which  were 
white.  As  soon  as  they  arrived  at  the  bank  of  the  river, 
they  all  sat  down,  without  making  any  noise.  Shortly 
afterwards,  another  body,  with  dark-coloured  shields, 
made  their  appearance,  who  came  down  and  joined  the 
first. 

"  We  were  not  wrong  in  our  suspicions,  at  all  events," 
said  the  Major ;  "  I  should  say  that  there  are  not  less  than 
a  thousand  men  in  these  two  parties  which  have  already 
appeared.  Now,  what  shall  we  do  ?  Shall  we  remain 
here,  or  shall  we  be  off,  and  join  the  wagons  ? " 

"I  really  can  hardly  decide  which  would  be  the  best," 
replied  Alexander ;  "  let  us  have  a  consultation  with 
Bremen  and  the  Griquas." 

"  If  we  were  to  go  away  now,"  said  Bremen,  "  the  fires 
would  soon  be  out,  and  they  might  suspect  something, 
and  come  over  to  reconnoitre.  When  they  found  that  we 
were  gone,  they  would  perhaps  follow  us,  and  overtake  the 
wagons  ;  but  if  we  remain  here,  and  keep  the  fires  up  till 
daybreak,  the  wagons  will  have  gained  so  much  more 
distance." 

The  Griquas  were  of  the  same  opinion ;  and  it  was 
decided  that  they  would  remain  there  till  daybreak,  and 
then  set  off. 

"  But,"  said  Alexander,  "  shall  we  leave  this  before 
they  can  see  us,  or  allow  them  to  see  us  ? " 

The   Griquas   said,   that  it   would    be    better  that   the 


The  Mission  275 

enemy  should  see  them,  as  then  they  would  know  that 
the  fires  had  been  kept  up  to  deceive  them,  and  that  the 
wagons  were  probably  a  long  way  off. 

This  having  been  agreed  upon,  a  careful  watch  was 
kept  upon  the  enemy  during  the  remainder  of  the  night. 
Although  the  moon  had  discovered  the  approach  of  the 
Matabili  to  the  party,  the  spot  where  the  camp  had  been 
pitched  was  in  the  shade,  so  that  from  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river  only  the  fires  could  be  distinguished.  A  little 
before  dawn,  some  one  was  heard  approaching,  and  they 
were  all  prepared  to  fire,  when  they  discovered  that  it 
was  Omrah,  who,  unknown  to  them,  had  crawled  down 
to  the  banks  of  the  river,  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy. 

Omrah,  who  was  out  of  breath  with  running,  stated 
that  some  of  the  Matabili  were  crossing  the  river,  and  that 
six  had  landed  on  this  side,  before  he  came  up  to  give 
the  information.  He  pointed  to  a  clump  of  trees,  about 
three  hundred  yards  off,  and  said  that  they  had  gone 
up  in  that  direction,  and  were  probably  there  by  that 
time. 

"Then  we  had  better  saddle  and  mount,"  said  the 
Major,  "  and  ride  away  gently  to  the  wood  on  this  side 
of  the  camp.  We  shall  then  be  able  to  watch  their 
motions  without  being  seen." 

This  advice  was  good,  and  approved  by  all.  They  led 
out  their  horses  without  noise,  and  as  soon  as  they  had 
done  so,  they  went  back,  and  threw  more  fuel  on  the 
fires.  They  then  retreated  to  the  wood,  which  was  about 
the  same  distance  from  the  camp,  on  the  other  side,  as  the 
clump  of  trees  where  the  Matabili  were  secreted. 

They  had  hardly  concealed  themselves,  before  the 
Matabili  in  the  clump,  surprised  at  not  seeing  the  awnings 
of  the  wagons,  and  suspecting  that  they  had  been  deceived, 
came  out  from  their  ambuscade ;  first  crawling  on  all- 
fours,  and  as  they  arrived  at  the  camp,  and  found  only 
fires  burning,  rising  up  one  after  another.  After  remaining 
about  a  minute  in  consultation,  two  of  the  party  were  sent 
back  to  the  river  to  communicate  this  intelligence  to  the 


276  The  Mission 

main  body,  while  the  others  searched  about  in  every 
direction.  Alexander,  with  the  Major  and  their  party, 
remained  where  they  were,  as  it  was  their  intention  to 
cross  through  the  wood,  until  they  came  to  the  open 
ground,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  southward,  and 
then  show  themselves  to  the  enemy,  before  they  went  off 
to  join  the  wagons. 

In  a  few  minutes  it  was  daylight,  and  they  now  per- 
ceived that  the  whole  body  of  the  Matabili  were  crossing 
the  river. 

"  They  intend  to  pursue  us,  then,"  said  Alexander. 

Omrah  now  pointed  to  the  side  of  the  river,  in  the 
direction  which  the  wagons  had  travelled,  when  they  came 
up  by  its  banks,  saying,  "When  go  away — ride  that  way 
first — same  track  wagon  go  that  way  back — same  way 
wagon  come." 

"  The  boy  is  right,"  said  the  Major  •,  "  when  we  start 
from  the  wood,  we  will  keep  by  the  river  side,  in  the 
track  by  which  the  wagons  came ;  and  when  we  are 
concealed  from  them  by  the  hills  or  trees,  we  will  then 
start  off  to  the  southward  after  the  wagons." 

"  I  see,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  they  will  probably  take 
the  marks  of  the  wagon-wheels  coming  here,  for  those  of 
the  wagons  going  away,  and  will  follow  them  ;  presuming, 
as  we  go  that  way,  that  our  wagons  have  gone  also. 
But  here  they  come  up  the  banks ;  it  is  time  for  us  to  be 
off." 

"  Quite  time,"  said  the  Major ;  "  so  now  let  us  show 
ourselves,  and  then  trust  to  our  heels." 

The  Matabili  force  was  now  within  four  hundred  yards 
of  the  camp.  It  was  broad  daylight ;  and,  with  their 
white  and  red  shields,  and  short  spears  in  their  hands, 
they  presented  a  very  formidable  appearance. 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  so  the  party  rode  out  of 
the  end  of  the  wood  nearest  the  river,  and,  as  soon  as  they 
made  their  appearance,  were  received  by  a  yell  from  the 
warriors,  who  dashed  forward  in  the  direction  where  they 
stood.     The  Major  had  directed  that  no  one  should  fire, 


The  Mission  277 

as  he  and  Alexander  did  not  wish  that  any  blood  should 
be  shed  unnecessarily.  They  therefore  waved  their  hands, 
and  turning  their  horses'  heads,  galloped  off  by  the  banks 
of  the  river,  keeping  in  the  tracks  made  by  the  wagons 
when  they  came  up. 

As  soon  as  they  had  galloped  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  they 
pulled  up,  and  turned  their  horses'  heads  to  reconnoitre. 
They  perceived  that  the  Matabili  force  was  pursuing  them 
at  the  utmost  speed :  but,  as  they  had  no  horsemen,  that 
speed  was  of  course  insufficient  to  overtake  the  well- 
mounted  party  in  advance.  As  soon  as  they  were  near, 
our  party  again  galloped  off  and  left  them  behind.  Thus 
they  continued  for  four  or  five  miles,  the  Matabili  force 
pursuing  them,  or  rather  following  the  tracks  of  the 
wagons,  when  they  observed  a  belt  of  trees  before  them 
about  a  mile  off;  this  the  Major  considered  as  a  good 
screen  to  enable  them  to  alter  their  course  without  being 
perceived  by  the  enemy.  They  therefore  galloped  forward, 
and  as  soon  as  they  were  hidden  by  the  trees,  turned  off 
in  a  direction  by  which  they  made  certain  to  fall  in  with 
the  track  which  the  wagons  had  made  on  their  departure 
during  the  night. 

They  had  ridden  about  two  miles,  still  concealed  in  the 
wood,  when  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  perceiving  the 
Matabili  force  still  following  at  a  rapid  pace  the  tracks 
of  the  wagons  on  the  river  side.  Having  watched 
them  for  half  an  hour,  as  they  now  considered  that 
all  was  safe,  they  again  continued  their  course,  so  as  to 
fall  in  with  the  wagons. 

"  I  think  we  are  clear  of  them  now,"  said  the  Major ; 
"  they  have  evidently  fallen  into  the  trap  proposed  by  that 
clever  little  fellow  Omrah." 

"  He  is  a  very  intelligent  boy,"  observed  Alexander, 
"  and,  travelling  in  this  country,  worth  his  weight  in 
gold." 

"  I  wish  Swinton  would  make  him  over  to  me,"  said 
the  Major ;  "  but  Alexander,  do  you  observe  what  a 
change  there  is  already  in  the  country  ?  " 


278  The  Mission 

"  I  do  indeed,"  replied  Alexander  ;  "  and  all  ahead  of 
us  it  appears  to  be  still  more  sterile  and  bare." 

"  Yes,  when  you  leave  the  rivers,  you  leave  vegetation 
of  all  kinds  almost.  There  is  no  regular  rainy  season  at 
all  here,  Swinton  says ;  we  may  expect  occasional  torrents 
of  rain  during  three  months,  but  they  are  very  uncertain  ; 
the  mountains  attract  the  greater  portion  of  the  rain,  and 
sometimes  there  will  not  be  a  shower  on  the  plains  for  the 
whole  year." 

"  How  far  shall  we  have  to  travel  before  we  fall  in  with 
water  again  ?  "  inquired  Alexander. 

"  Swinton  says  that  there  may  be  water  in  a  river 
about  sixty  miles  from  where  we  started  last  night ;  if  not, 
we  shall  have  to  proceed  about  thirty  miles  further,  to 
the  Gykoup  or  Vet  River.  After  that  we  shall  have  to 
depend  for  many  days  upon  the  water  we  may  find 
in  the  holes,  which,  as  the  season  is  now  coming  on, 
may  probably  be  filled  by  the  rain." 

Alexander  and  his  party  rode  for  seven  or  eight  miles 
before  they  fell  in  with  the  tracks  of  the  caravan  ;  they 
then  pulled  up  their  jaded  horses,  and  proceeded  at  a  more 
leisurely  pace,  so  that  it  was  not  till  late  in  the  evening 
that  they  discovered  the  wagons  at  some  distance,  having 
passed  the  dry  bed  of  Salt  River  ahead  of  them.  During 
the  whole  day  their  horses  had  had  neither  food  nor  water, 
and  the  animals  were  much  exhausted  when  they  came  up 
with  the  wagons.  The  oxen  also  were  fatigued  with  so 
long  a  journey,  having  made  nearly  fifty  miles  since  they 
started  the  evening  before. 

The  country  was  now  stony  and  sterile  ;  a  little  vegeta- 
tion was  to  be  found  here  and  there,  but  not  sufficient 
to  meet  the  wants  of  the  animals,  and  water  there 
was  none.  During  the  day  but  little  game  had  been 
seen  ;  a  few  zebras  and  ostriches  only ;  all  other  varieties 
had  disappeared.  There  was  of  course  no  wood  to  light 
the  fires  round  the  encampment :  a  sufficiency  for  cooking 
their  victuals  had  been  thrown  into  the  wagons,  and  two 
sheep  were  killed  to  supply  a  supper  for  so  numerous  a 


The  Mission  279 

party.  But  the  absence  of  game  also  denoted  the  absence 
of  lions,  and  they  were  not  disturbed  during  the  night. 
In  the  morning  the  Griquas  parted  company  with  them, 
on  the  plea  that  their  oxen  and  horses  were  in  too  poor 
a  condition  to  pass  over  the  desert,  and  that  they  must 
make  a  direct  course  for  the  Vaal  River  and  return  by  its 
banks. 

Our  travellers  gave  them  a  good  supply  of  ammunition, 
the  only  thing  that  they  wished  for,  and  the  Griquas 
yoking  their  oxen  to  the  crazy  old  wagon,  set  off  in  a 
westerly  direction. 

The  route  of  the  caravan  was  now  directed  more  to  the 
south-west,  and  they  passed  over  an  uninterrupted  plain 
strewed  with  small  land-tortoises,  and  covered  with  a  pro- 
fusion of  the  gayest  flowers.  About  noon,  after  a  sultry 
journey  of  nine  hours,  they  fortunately  arrived  at  a  bog,  in 
which  they  found  a  pool  of  most  fetid  water,  which  nothing 
but  necessity  could  have  compelled  either  them  or  the  ex- 
hausted animals  to  drink.  Near  this  pool  in  the  desert 
they  found  several  wild  animals,  and  they  obtained  three 
gnoos  for  a  supply  of  provision  :  the  little  wood  that  they 
had  in  the  wagon  for  fuel  was  all  used  up  in  cooking  their 
supper. 

A  heavy  dew  fell  during  the  night,  and  in  the  morning, 
before  the  sun  rose,  they  were  enveloped  in  a  thick  fog. 
As  the  fog  dispersed,  they  perceived  herds  of  quaggas  in 
all  directions,  but  at  a  great  distance.  They  again  yoked 
the  oxen  and  proceeded  on  their  journey ;  the  country  was 
now  covered  with  herbage  and  flowers  of  every  hue,  and 
looked  like  a  garden. 

"  How  strange  that  the  ground  should  be  covered  with 
flowers  where  there  is  no  rain  or  water  to  be  found," 
observed  Alexander. 

"It  is  the  heavy  dews  of  the  night  which  support 
them,"  said  Swinton,  "  and  perhaps  the  occasional  rains 
which  fall." 

A  line  of  trees  to  the  southward  told  them  that  they 
were  now  approaching  an  unnamed  river,  and  the  tired 


280  The  Mission 

oxen  quickened  their  pace  ;  but  on  their  arrival  they  found 
that  the  bed  of  the  river  was  dry,  and  not  even  a  drop 
of  water  was  to  be  found  in  the  pools.  The  poor  animals, 
which  had  been  unyoked,  snuffed  and  smelt  at  the  wet, 
damp  earth,  and  licked  it  with  their  tongues,  but  could 
obtain  no  relief.  The  water  which  they  had  had  in  the 
casks  for  their  own  drinking  was  now  all  gone  ;  and  there 
were  no  hopes  of  obtaining  any  till  they  arrived  at  the  Vet 
River,  at  least  twenty-five  to  thirty  miles  distant.  Two 
of  the  oxen  lay  down  to  rise  no  more  ;  the  countenances 
of  the  Hottentots  were  dejected  and  sullen,  and  our 
travellers  felt  that  their  situation  was  alarming. 

While  they  were  still  searching  and  digging  for  water, 
the  sky  became  overcast,  thunder  and  lightning  were  seen 
and  heard  in  the  distance,  and  the  clouds  came  rolling  in 
volumes  towards  them.  Hope  was  now  in  every  face  ; 
they  already  anticipated  the  copious  showers  which  were 
to  succeed  ;  their  eyes  ever  fixed  upon  the  coming  storm. 
Even  the  cattle  appeared  to  be  conscious  that  relief  was  at 
hand.  All  that  day  the  clouds  continued  to  gather  and 
the  lightning  to  gleam.  Night  closed  in,  but  the  rain  had 
not  yet  fallen ;  the  wind  rose  up,  and  in  less  than  an  hour 
all  the  clouds  had  passed  away,  the  stars  shone  out 
brightly,  and  they  were  left  in  a  state  of  suffering  and 
disappointment. 


Chapter  XXVII 

As  our  travellers  were  sitting  together,  each  occupied 
with  his  own  melancholy  thoughts  after  the  dispersion  of 
the  clouds  and  the  anticipated  relief,  the  Major  said — 

"It  is  useless  our  remaining  here,  we  must  all  perish  if 
we  do  not  proceed,  and  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  yoke 
and  travel  by  night ;  the  animals  will  bear  the  journey 
better,  and  the  people  will  not  be  so  inclined  to  brood 
over  their  misfortunes  when  on  the  march  as  when  thus 


The  Mission  281 

huddled  together  here,  and  communicating  their  lamenta- 
tions to  dishearten  each  other.  It  is  now  nine  o'clock  ; 
let  us  yoke  and  push  on  as  far  as  we  can." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  Major,"  said  Alexander  ;  "  what  do 
you  say,  Swinton  ?  " 

"  I  am  convinced  that  it  will  be  the  best  plan,  so  let  us 
rouse  up  the  people  at  once.  There  is  the  roar  of  a  lion 
at  some  distance,  and  we  have  no  fires  to  scare  them  off." 

"  The  creaking  of  the  wagon- wheels  will  be  better  than 
nothing,"  replied  the  Major. 

The  Hottentots  were  roused  and  the  orders  given  to 
yoke :  the  poor  fellows  were  all  sound  asleep,  for  a 
Hottentot,  when  he  hungers  or  thirsts,  seeks  refuge  from 
all  his  miseries  in  sleep.  The  oxen  were  yoked,  and  they 
proceeded  •,  but  hardly  had  they  gone  a  mile  when  the 
roar  of  three  or  four  lions,  close  upon  them,  caused  such 
alarm  to  the  horses  and  the  oxen  which  were  not  yoked, 
that  they  started  off  in  a  full  gallop  in  a  northerly 
direction. 

Alexander,  the  Major,  and  Omrah,  who  were  the  best 
mounted,  immediately  set  off  in  pursuit  of  them,  desiring 
Swinton  to  proceed  with  the  caravan,  and  they  would 
drive  on  the  cattle  and  join  him.  They  galloped  off  as 
well  as  the  horses  could  gallop,  and  perceived  the  stray 
horses  and  oxen  still  at  full  speed,  as  if  they  were  chased 
by  the  lions.  They  followed  in  the  direction,  but  it  was 
now  so  dark  that  they  were  guided  only  by  the  clatter  of 
their  hoofs  and  their  shoes  in  the  distance ;  and  after  a 
chase  of  four  or  five  miles,  they  had  lost  all  vestiges  of 
them,  and  pulled  up  their  panting  steeds. 

"  We  may  as  well  go  back  again,"  said  Alexander, 
"  the  animals  must  have  made  a  circuit." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  said  the  Major ;  "  but  my  horse 
trembles  so  that  I  had  better  dismount  for  a  little  while 
that  he  may  recover  himself;  indeed,  so  had  you  too  and 
Omrah,  for  the  animals  are  completely  worn  out." 

"  The  clouds  are  rising  again,"  said  Alexander ;  "I 
trust  that  we  may  not  be  disappointed  a  second  time." 


282  The  Mission 

"  Yes,  and  there  is  lightning  again  in  the  horizon — may 
the  Almighty  help  us  in  our  distress,"  exclaimed  the  Major. 

The  horses,  exhausted  from  want  of  water,  continued 
to  pant  so  fearfully,  that  it  was  nearly  half  an  hour  before 
they  ventured  to  mount,  that  they  might  return  to  the 
caravan.  In  the  meantime  the  heavens  had  become  wholly 
obscured  by  the  clouds,  and  there  was  every  prospect  of  a 
heavy  shower ;  at  last  a  few  drops  did  fall. 

"Thank  God!"  exclaimed  Alexander,  as  he  lifted  his 
face  up  to  the  heavens,  to  feel  the  drops  as  they  fell. 
"  Now  let  us  return." 

They  mounted  their  horses  and  set  off,  but  the  stars 
were  no  longer  visible  to  guide  them,  and  they  proceeded 
on  at  a  slow  pace,  uncertain  whether  they  were  right  or 
wrong.  This  they  cared  little  about ;  their  thoughts  were 
upon  the  coming  rain,  which  they  so  anxiously  awaited. 
For  more  than  three  hours,  they  were  tantalised  by  the 
lightning  flashing  and  the  thunder  pealing,  every  moment 
expecting  the  flood-gates  of  the  heavens  to  be  opened ; 
but,  as  before,  they  were  doomed  to  disappointment. 
Before  the  morning  dawned,  the  clouds  had  again  retreated, 
and  when  the  sky  was  clear,  they  found  by  the  stars,  that 
their  horses'  heads  were  turned  to  the  northward  and 
eastward. 

They  altered  their  course  in  silence,  for  they  were  worn 
out  and  despondent ;  they  suffered  dreadfully  from  thirst, 
and  it  was  pitiable  to  see  the  tongues  of  the  poor  horses 
hanging  out  of  their  mouths.  Day  dawned,  and  there 
were  no  signs  of  the  caravan.  A  thick  vapour  was  rising 
from  every  quarter,  and  they  hoped  that  when  it  cleared 
up,  they  would  be  more  fortunate ;  but  no,  there  was  the 
same  monotonous  landscape,  the  same  carpet  of  flowers 
without  perfume.  The  sun  was  now  three  hours  high, 
and  the  heat  was  intense ;  their  tongues  clove  to  the  roofs 
of  their  mouths,  while  still  they  went  on  over  flowery 
meads ;  but  neither  forest  nor  pool,  nor  any  trees  which 
might  denote  the  bed  of  the  river,  caught  their  earnest 
gaze. 


The  Mission  283 

"This  is  dreadful,"  said  Alexander,  at  last;  speaking 
with  difficulty. 

"We  are  lost,  that  is  certain,"  said  the  Major;  "but 
we  must  trust  in  God." 

"  Yes,  we  may  now  say  Lord  help  us,  or  we  perish," 
replied  Alexander. 

At  this  moment,  little  Omrah,  who  had  been  behind, 
rode  up  to  them,  and  offered  them  one  of  the  Hottentot's 
pipes,  which  he  had  lighted ;  saying,  "  Smoke, — not  feel 
so  bad."  Alexander  took  it,  and  after  a  few  whiffs,  found 
that  it  had  the  effect  of  producing  a  little  saliva,  and  he 
handed  it  to  the  Major,  who  did  the  same,  and  felt  imme- 
diate relief. 

They  continued  to  walk  their  horses  in  a  southerly 
direction ;  but  the  heat  was  now  so  great,  that  it  became 
almost  insufferable,  and  at  last  the  horses  stood  still. 
They  dismounted,  and  drove  their  horses  slowly  before 
them  over  the  glowing  plain  ;  and  now  the  mirage  deluded 
and  tantalised  them  in  the  strangest  manner.  At  one  time, 
Alexander  pointed  with  delight  (for  he  could  not  speak) 
to  what  he  imagined  to  be  the  wagons ;  they  pushed  on, 
and  found  that  it  was  a  solitary  quagga,  magnified  thus  by 
the  mirage.  Sometimes  they  thought  that  they  saw  lakes 
of  water  in  the  distance,  and  hastened  on  to  them ;  and 
then  they  fancied  they  were  close  to  rivers  and  islands, 
covered  with  luxuriant  foliage,  but  still  were  doomed  to 
disappointment ;  as  all  was  the  result  of  the  highly  rarefied 
air,  and  the  refraction  of  the  sun's  rays  on  the  sultry  plain. 
What  would  they  have  given  for  a  bush,  even  to  afford 
them  any  shelter  from  the  noon-day  sun,  for  the  crowns  of 
their  heads  appeared  as  if  covered  with  live  coal,  and  their 
minds  began  to  wander.  The  poor  horses  moved  at  the 
slowest  pace,  and  only  when  driven  on  by  Omrah,  who 
appeared  to  suffer  much  less  than  his  masters.  Every  now 
and  then  he  handed  to  them  the  pipe,  but  at  last  even  that 
had  no  longer  any  relief.  Speech  had  been  for  some  hours 
totally  lost.  Gradually,  however,  the  sun  sunk  down  to 
the  horizon,  and  as  his  scorching  rays  became  less  intense, 


284  The  Mission 

they    to    a    certain    degree    recovered    their    wandering 
senses. 

At  night,  they  sat  down  by  the  side  of  the  horses,  and, 
worn  out  with  fatigue  and  exhaustion,  fell  into  a  troubled 
sleep ;  a  sleep  which,  if  it  relieved  their  worn-out  frames, 
condemned  them  to  the  same  tantalising  feelings  as  had 
been  created  by  the  mirage  during  the  day.  They  dreamed 
that  they  were  in  the  bowers  of  paradise,  hearing  heavenly 
music  ;  passing  from  crystal  stream  to  stream,  slaking  their 
thirst  at  each,  and  reclining  on  couches  of  verdant  green. 
Everything  that  was  delightful  appeared  to  them  in  their 
dreams ;  they  were  in  the  abodes  of  bliss,  and  thus  did 
they  remain  for  an  hour  or  two ;  when  they  were  wakened 
up  by  the  roar  of  a  lion,  which  reminded  them  that  they 
were  without  food  or  water  in  the  desert. 

They  awoke  speechless  with  thirst,  their  eyes  inflamed, 
and  their  whole  bodies  burning  like  a  coal,  and  the  awful 
roar  of  the  lion  still  reverberated  along  the  ground.  They 
started  on  their  legs,  and  found  Omrah  close  to  them, 
holding  the  bridles  of  the  horses,  which  were  attempting 
to  escape.  They  were  still  confused,  when  they  were 
fully  restored  to  their  waking  senses  by  a  second  roar 
of  the  lion  still  nearer  to  them ;  and,  by  the  imperfect 
light  of  the  stars,  they  could  now  distinguish  the  beast 
at  about  one  hundred  yards'  distance.  Omrah  put  the 
bridles  of  their  two  horses  in  their  hands,  and  motioned 
them  to  go  on  in  the  direction  opposite  to  where  the 
lion  was.  They  did  so  without  reflection;  mechani- 
cally obeying  the  directions  of  the  man-child ;  and 
not  perceiving  that  Omrah  did  not  follow  them.  They 
had  advanced  about  one  hundred  yards  with  the  terrified 
animals,  when  another  loud  roar  was  followed  up  by  the 
shriek  of  the  other  horse,  announcing  that  he  had  become 
a  victim  to  the  savage  animal.  They  both  started,  and 
dropping  the  reins  of  their  horses,  hastened  with  their 
rifles  to  the  help  of  Omrah,  of  whose  absence  they  now 
for  the  first  time  were  aware  ;  but  they  were  met  half-way 
by  the  boy,  who  contrived  to  say  with  difficulty,  "  Lion 


The  Mission  285 

want  horse,  not  little  Bushman."  They  waited  a  few 
seconds,  but  the  cries  of  the  poor  animal,  and  the  crushing 
and  cracking  of  its  bones,  were  too  painful  to  hear ;  and 
they  hastened  on,  and  rejoined  the  other  horses,  which 
appeared  paralysed  with  fear,  and  had  remained  stationary. 

They  again  led  their  horses  on  for  an  hour,  when  they 
arrived  at  a  small  pile  of  rocks  ;  there  they  again  lay  down, 
for  they  were  quite  exhausted  and  careless  of  life.  Not 
even  the  roar  of  a  lion  would  have  aroused  them  now,  or 
if  it  had  roused  them,  they  would  have  waited  for  the 
animal  to  come  and  put  an  end  to  their  misery.  But 
another  and  a  softer  noise  attracted  the  quick  ear  of 
Omrah,  and  he  pushed  Alexander,  and  put  his  finger  up  to 
induce  him  to  listen. 

Having  listened  a  little  longer,  Omrah  made  signs  to 
Alexander  and  the  Major  to  follow  him.  The  noise  which 
Omrah  had  heard  was  the  croaking  of  a  frog,  which  denoted 
water  at  hand,  and  the  sniffing  of  the  horses  confirmed 
him  in  his  supposition.  Omrah  led  the  way  through  the 
rocks,  descending  lower  and  lower,  and  ever  and  anon 
listening  to  the  noise  of  the  animal,  till  he  perceived  the 
stars  of  the  heavens  above  reflected  in  a  small  pool,  which 
he  pointed  out  to  Alexander  and  the  Major.  Down  they 
dropped  to  the  earth  and  drank ;  and  as  soon  as  their  thirst 
was  satisfied,  they  rose,  and  pushed  Omrah  forward  to 
make  him  drink  also ;  and  as  the  boy  who  had  saved  their 
lives  was  drinking,  they  knelt  down  and  prayed, — not 
aloud,  for  they  had  not  yet  recovered  their  speech ;  but 
if  ever  grateful  prayers  were  offered  up  to  the  Almighty 
throne,  they  were  by  our  two  travellers,  as  they  knelt  by 
the  side  of  this  small  pool.  They  rose  and  hastened  to 
their  horses,  and  led  them  down  to  the  water,  when  the 
poor  animals  filled  themselves  almost  to  bursting,  walked 
away,  and  returned  to  drink  more.  They  also  repeated 
their  draught  several  times,  and  then  lay  down,  and  would 
have  fallen  asleep  by  the  side  of  the  pool,  had  not  Omrah, 
who  could  now  speak  freely,  said,  "  No,  no ;  lion  come 
here  for  water  j  up  the  rock  again  and  sleep  there — I  bring 


286  The  Mission 

horses."  This  good  advice  was  followed,  and  when  they 
had  gained  the  summit  of  the  rising  ground,  they  again  lay 
down,  and  slept  till  daylight. 

When  they  awoke,  they  found  themselves  much 
refreshed-,  but  they  now  felt, — what  they  had  not  done 
during  their  extreme  suffering  from  thirst, — the  craving 
pangs  of  hunger.  Omrah  was  fast  asleep,  and  the  horses 
picking  among  the  herbage,  about  two  hundred  yards 
off. 

"  "We  have  much  to  thank  God  for,"  said  Alexander  to 
the  Major. 

"  We  have  indeed,  and,  next  to  divine  aid,  we  have  to 
thank  that  poor  boy.  We  have  been  as  children  in  his 
hands,  and  we  are  indebted  to  him  and  his  resources  for 
our  lives  this  night.  I  could  not  speak  yesterday,  nor 
could  you  ;  but  his  courage  in  remaining  with  the  horse  as 
an  offering  to  the  lion,  I  shall  not  forget." 

"  He  is  a  child  of  the  desert,"  replied  Alexander  ;  "  he 
has  been  brought  up  among  lions,  and  where  there  is 
scarcity  of  water,  and  he  has  most  wonderfully  guided  us 
in  our  path ;  but  we  are  still  in  the  desert,  and  have  lost 
our  companions.  What  must  we  do  ?  Shall  we  attempt 
to  regain  the  caravan,  or  push  off  to  the  westward,  to  fall 
in  with  the  river  again  ? " 

"We  will  talk  of  that  an  hour  hence,"  replied  the 
Major;  "let  us  now  go  down  to  the  pool,  and  as  soon  as 
I  have  had  a  drink,  I  will  try  if  I  cannot  kill  something 
for  a  meal.  My  hunger  is  now  almost  as  great  as  was 
my  thirst." 

"  And  mine  too,  so  I  will  go  with  you  ;  but  we  must 
be  careful  how  we  approach  the  water,  as  we  may  fall  in 
with  some  animal  to  make  a  meal  of." 

"  Or  with  a  lion,  ready  to  make  a  meal  of  us,"  replied 
the  Major;  "so  in  either  instance,  we  must  approach  it 
cautiously." 

As  they  walked  to  the  pool,  they  discovered  the  head 
of  an  antelope  just  above  a  rock.  The  Major  fired,  and 
the  animal  fell.     The  report  of  the  rifle  was  answered  by 


The  Mission  287 

a  roar ;  three  lions  bounded  away  from  the  rock,  and  went 
at  a  quick  canter  over  the  plain. 

"  Both  our  suppositions  have  proved  correct,"  observed 
Alexander,  as  they  walked  up  to  where  the  antelope  lay 
dead  ;  "  but  now  how  are  we  to  cook  the  animal  ? " 

"  Any  dry  stuff  will  serve  for  a  fire,  if  we  can  only  get 
enough,  and  a  very  little  cooking  will  serve  me  just  now. 
Here  comes  Omrah.  Let  us  carry  the  game  up  to  where 
we  slept  last  night,  as  soon  as  we  have  had  a  drink." 

They  went  to  the  pool,  and  were  surprised  to  behold 
the  filthy  puddle  which  had  appeared  to  them  so  like  nectar 
the  night  before.  They  were  not  sufficiently  thirsty  to 
overcome  their  disgust,  and  they  turned  away  from  it. 

Omrah  now  began  collecting  dried  grass,  and  herbs, 
and  lichen  from  the  rocks,  and  had  soon  a  sufficiency  to 
make  a  small  fire  ;  they  struck  a  light,  and  cutting  off 
steaks  from  the  antelope,  were  in  a  short  time  very  busy 
at  the  repast.  When  their  hunger  was  appeased,  they 
found  that  their  thirst  was  renewed,  and  they  went  down 
to  the  pool,  and  shutting  their  eyes,  drank  plentifully. 
Omrah  cooked  as  much  of  the  meat  as  the  small  fire 
would  permit,  that  they  might  not  want  for  the  next 
twenty-four  hours ;  and  the  horses  being  again  led  to 
the  water  to  drink,  they  mounted,  and  proceeded  to  the 
southward,  followed  by  Omrah  on  foot.  Another  day 
was  passed  in  searching  for  the  caravan  without  success. 
No  water  was  to  be  found.  The  heat  was  dreadful ;  and 
at  night  they  threw  themselves  down  on  the  ground, 
careless  of  life,  and  had  it  not  been  sinful,  they  would 
have  prayed  for  death.  The  next  morning,  they  arose 
in  a  state  of  dreadful  suffering  ;  they  could  not  speak, 
but  they  made  signs,  and  resolved  once  more  to  attempt 
to  join  the  caravan. 

They  proceeded  during  the  whole  of  the  forenoon  in 
the  direction  by  which  they  hoped  to  discover  the  track 
of  the  wagons.  The  heat  was  overpowering,  and  they 
felt  all  the  agony  of  the  day  before.  At  last  the  horses 
could  proceed  no  further  ;  they  both  lay  down,  and  our 


288  The  Mission 

travellers  had  little  hopes  of  their  ever  rising  again.  The 
scorching  of  the  sun's  rays  was  so  dreadful,  that  they 
thrust  their  heads  into  some  empty  ant-hills  to  keep  off 
the  heat,  and  there  they  lay  in  as  forlorn  and  hopeless  a 
state  as  the  horses.  Speak  they  could  not ;  their  parched 
tongues  rattled  like  boards  against  the  roofs  of  their 
mouths  ;  their  lips  were  swollen  and  bloated,  and  their 
eyes  inflamed  and  starting  from  their  sockets.  As 
Alexander  afterwards  said  to  Swinton,  he  then  recollected 
the  thoughts  which  had  risen  in  his  mind  on  his  departure 
from  the  English  shore,  and  the  surmise  whether  he 
might  not  leave  his  bones  bleaching  in  the  desert ;  and 
Alexander  now  believed  that  such  was  to  be  the  case, 
and  he  prayed  mentally  and  prepared  for  death.  The 
Major  was  fully  possessed  with  the  same  idea  j  but  as 
they  lay  at  some  yards'  distance,  with  their  heads  buried 
in  the  ant-hills,  they  could  not  communicate  with  each 
other  even  by  signs.  At  last  they  fell  into  a  state  of 
stupor  and  lost  all  recollection.  But  an  Almighty 
Providence  watched  over  them,  and  during  their  state  of 
insensibility,  the  clouds  again  rose  and  covered  the  firma- 
ment, and  this  time  they  did  not  rise  in  mockery  ;  for, 
before  the  day  was  closed,  torrents  descended  from  them 
and  deluged  the  whole  plain. 

Omrah,  who  had  held  up  better  than  his  masters, 
crawled  out  of  the  ant-hill  into  which  he  had  crept,  and 
as  soon  as  the  rain  descended,  he  contrived  to  pull  the 
heads  of  the  Major  and  Alexander,  who  still  remained 
senseless,  from  out  of  the  ant-hills,  and  to  turn  their 
blackened  and  swollen  faces  to  the  sky.  As  their  clothes 
became  saturated  with  the  rain  and  the  water  poured 
into  their  mouths,  they  gradually  revived,  and  at  last 
were  completely  restored.  The  wind  now  rose  and  blew 
fresh,  and  before  morning  they  were  shivering  with  cold, 
and  when  they  attempted  to  get  up,  found  that  their 
limbs  were  cramped. 

Soon  after  daylight  the  rain  ceased,  and  they  were 
glad  to  bask  in  the  then  cheering  rays  of  the  sun,  which 


The  Mission  289 

had  nearly  destroyed  them  on  the  day  before.  The  horses 
had  recovered  their  legs  and  were  feeding  close  to  them  ; 
and  the  flesh  of  the  antelope,  which  had  been  untasted, 
was  now  greedily  devoured.  Most  devoutly  did  they 
return  thanks  for  their  preservation,  and  the  hopes  which 
were  now  held  out  to  them  of  ultimately  regaining  the 
colony ;  for  they  had  abandoned  all  hopes  of  reaching  the 
caravan,  as  they  considered  the  risk  of  crossing  the  desert 
too  great.  They  made  up  their  minds  to  push  for  the 
Vaal  River  as  fast  as  they  could,  and  proceed  back  by 
its  banks. 

They  had  two  horses,  and  Omrah  could  ride  behind 
one  of  them,  when  he  was  tired ;  they  had  guns  and 
ammunition,  and  although  they  were  fully  aware  of  the 
dangers  to  which  they  would  be  exposed,  they  thought 
lightly  of  them  after  what  they  had  suffered.  They  now 
mounted  their  horses  and  proceeded  at  a  slow  pace  towards 
the  westward,  for  the  poor  animals  were  still  very  weak. 
At  sunset  they  had  travelled  about  ten  miles,  and  looked 
out  for  a  spot  to  pass  the  night.  "Wood  to  light  fires  they 
had  none,  but  they  hoped,  if  their  horses  were  not  taken 
away  by  the  lions,  to  reach  a  branch  of  the  river  by  the 
following  evening.  There  was  now  no  want  of  water, 
as  they  repeatedly  passed  by  small  pools  which,  for  a  day 
or  two  at  least,  would  not  be  evaporated  by  the  heat  of 
the  sun.  But  they  knew  that  by  that  time,  if  no  more 
rain  fell,  they  would  have  again  to  undergo  the  former 
terrible  privations,  and  therefore  resolved  upon  continuing 
their  course  towards  the  river,  as  their  safest  plan,  now 
that  they  had  lost  the  caravan. 

As  they  were  seated  on  a  rising  ground  which  they 
had  chosen  for  their  night's  rest,  and  occasionally  firing 
off  their  rifles  to  drive  away  the  lions,  which  were  heard 
prowling  about,  all  of  a  sudden  Omrah  cried  out,  and 
pointed  to  the  northward  j  our  travellers  turned  and 
perceived  a  rocket  ascending  the  firmament,  and  at  last 
breaking  out  into  a  group  of  brilliant  stars. 

"  It  is  the  caravan,"  exclaimed  the   Major  ;  "  Swinton 

M  T 


290  The  Mission 

has  remembered  that  I  put  some  rockets  into  my 
wagon." 

"We  must  have  passed  it,"  said  Alexander,  springing 
on  his  feet.     "  God  be  praised  for  all  his  mercies." 

"  Amen,"  replied  the  Major  devoutly. 

Omrah  ran  after  the  horses,  which  were  feeding  close 
to  them,  for  their  instinctive  fear  of  the  lions  made  them 
keep  as  close  as  possible  to  their  masters.  They  were 
soon  mounted,  with  Omrah  behind  the  Major,  and  set  off 
at  all  the  speed  that  they  could  obtain  from  the  animals. 
After  an  interval  another  rocket  was  seen,  and  by  its 
light  they  discovered  that  they  were  not  a  mile  from  the 
wagons.  The  horses  appeared  to  be  sensible  of  this,  and 
went  off  at  a  quicker  pace ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  had 
rushed  in  among  the  cattle,  and  Alexander  and  the  Major 
were  received  into  the  arms  of  Swinton,  and  surrounded 
by  the  Hottentots,  who  were  loud  in  their  congratulations 
at  their  return. 

As  soon  as  Alexander  and  the  Major  had  made  known 
their  perils  and  sufferings  to  Swinton,  the  latter  informed 
them  that  about  three  hours  after  they  had  left  the 
caravan  in  pursuit  of  the  cattle,  the  animals  had  returned, 
and  that  of  course  he  had  fully  expected  them  to  follow. 
Finding  that  they  did  not  arrive,  he  had  decided  upon 
remaining  where  he  was,  at  all  events,  for  another  day  ; 
but  that  the  cattle  were  by  that  time  so  exhausted,  that 
it  was  with  difficulty  they  moved,  and  he  could  not 
proceed  with  them  more  than  ten  miles,  when  they  lay 
down  in  their  yokes.  Thirteen  had  died,  and  the  others 
must  have  shared  their  fate,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  pro- 
vidential rain,  which  had  restored  them. 

Swinton  stated  that  he  had  been  in  a  great  state  of 
alarm  for  them,  and  that  he  had  almost  satisfied  himself 
that  they  had  perished,  although  he  had  used  every  means 
that  he  could  think  of.  When  he  fired  the  rockets  off  he 
had  scarcely  a  hope  of  thus  bringing  them  back  to  the 
caravan. 

"  However,"   observed  Swinton,    "  it    shows    that   we 


The  Mission  291 

should  never  despair  and  never  leave  a  chance  untried, 
even  in  the  most  desperate  circumstances.  You  are  back 
again,  and  I  thank  the  Almighty  for  it,  with  all  my  heart, 
and  all  my  soul,  and  all  my  strength,  most  fervently  and 
most  sincerely.  I  have  been  very,  very  miserable,  I  can 
assure  you,  my  dear  fellows.  The  idea  of  returning  to 
the  Cape  without  you  was  dreadful.  Indeed,  I  never 
would  have  left  the  country  until  I  had  found  you,  or  had 
some  clue  to  your  deaths." 

"  Our  preservation  has  indeed  been  miraculous,"  replied 
the  Major  j  "  I  never  thought  to  have  raised  my  head  out 
of  the  ant-hill  again." 

"  Nor  I,"  replied  Alexander ;  "  and  next  to  the 
Almighty,  we  certainly  owe  our  lives  to  little  Omrah. 
There  is  nothing  that  I  would  not  do  for  that  boy,  if  you 
will  give  him  over  to  my  care." 

"  Or  mine,  Swinton,"  said  the  Major. 

"Depend  upon  it,"  replied  Swinton,  "I  will  do  all  for 
him  that  ought  to  be  done ;  I  owe  him  a  debt  of  gratitude 
for  preserving  my  friends,  and  will  not  forget  to  repay  it." 

"  Well  then,  you  must  allow  us  to  help  him  as  well," 
replied  the  Major.  "  How  far  are  we  now  from  the 
Modder  River  ? " 

"  About  forty  miles,  I  should  think,  and  we  had  better 
push  on  as  fast  as  we  can  ;  for  although  the  river  will 
contain  water,  the  pools  in  the  desert  between  us  and  the 
river  will  soon  be  dried  up.  The  cattle,  however,  are 
still  very  weak, — and,  as  I  have  stated,  we  have  lost  all 
our  relays.  But  you  must  long  to  have  a  good  night's 
rest,  so  go  to  your  wagons,  and  we  will  watch  and  keep 
off  the  wild  beasts.  We  have  been  obliged  to  fire  our 
guns  all  night  long,  since  your  absence  j  and  have  burnt 
one  of  the  spare  poles  of  the  wagons,  to  cook  our 
victuals." 

Everything  is  comparative.  When  our  travellers  first 
took  up  their  night's  lodgings  in  the  wagons,  they  found 
their  resting-places  hard,  after  sleeping  in  comfortable 
beds  at  Cape  Town  j  but  now,  after  having  passed  their 


292  The  Mission 

nights  in  the  wide  desert,  their  mattresses  in  the  wagons 
were  a  luxury  that  was  fully  appreciated.  Returning 
thanks  to  Heaven  for  their  preservation,  Alexander  and 
the  Major  slept  soundly  till  morning,  notwithstanding  that 
the  latter  was  often  half-roused  by  the  importunities  of 
Begum,  who  appeared  delighted  at  the  return  of  her 
master. 

At  daylight  the  oxen  were  yoked,  and  they  proceeded 
on  their  journey.  There  was  no  want  of  game,  indeed 
they  were  so  plentiful,  that  they  shot  them  from  the 
caravan  as  they  passed.  At  night  they  had  made  twenty- 
five  miles,  and  before  they  had  unyoked,  a  deluge  of  rain 
again  fell,  and  they  passed  a  very  uncomfortable  night  as 
it  was  very  cold,  and  they  could  light  no  fires,  from  want 
of  fuel.  Anything,  however,  was  better  than  the  want  of 
water ;  and  early  in  the  morning  they  again  yoked  their 
oxen,  and,  after  a  hard  day's  toil,  were  rejoiced  to  perceive 
at  a  distance  the  trees  which  lined  the  banks  of  the 
Modder  River.  This  sight  was  hailed  with  joy  by  the 
Hottentots,  who  shouted  aloud  ;  for  they  considered  their 
dangers  and  difficulties  to  be  over,  now  that  they  were 
approaching  to  the  boundaries  of  the  colony. 


Chapter    XXVIII 

As  the  cattle  required  some  repose,  after  the  sufferings 
they  had  gone  through,  our  travellers  resolved  to  remain 
a  few  days  on  the  banks  of  the  Modder  River.  The 
pasturage  was  fine,  and  the  game  abundant.  Gnoos  and 
springboks  were  to  be  seen  in  every  direction,  and 
quaggas,  bonteboks,  and  several  other  varieties  of 
antelopes,  were  in  profusion  over  the  now  undulating 
country.  Neither  were  our  travellers  sorry  to  have  some 
repose  for  themselves,  although  every  mile  that  they 
drew  nearer  to  the  Cape  made  them  more  anxious  to 
return. 


The  Mission  293 

As  usual,  the  caravan  was  halted  on  a  rising  ground, 
at  some  distance  from  the  river,  to  avoid  the  wild 
beasts,  which  during  the  day  were  concealed,  and 
during  the  night  prowled  on  its  banks,  to  spring 
upon  the  animals  which  came  down  for  water.  As 
there  was  now  plenty  of  wood,  the  fires  were  again 
lighted  at  night,  and  the  oxen  driven  in  and  tied  up. 
During  the  day,  the  animals  revelled  on  the  luxurious 
pasture,  and  in  a  week  had  become  quite  sleek  and  in 
good  condition. 

Every  day  our  travellers  went  out  to  hunt  for  a 
supply  of  provisions,  and  never  returned  without  more 
than  was  sufficient.  Swinton  was  anxious  to  possess 
one  or  two  more  specimens  of  the  oryx,  or  gemsbok. 
This  antelope,  we  have  before  observed,  from  having 
very  straight  horns,  which  at  a  distance  appear  as  one, 
has  given  rise  to  the  fabulous  animal  the  unicorn,  which 
is  now  one  of  the  supporters  of  the  royal  arms.  It  is 
a  very  formidable  animal ;  being  the  one  that  our  travellers 
found,  with  its  horns  pierced  through  the  lion,  which  had 
attacked  it.  The  horses,  being  now  fresh  and  in  good 
heart,  Alexander  and  the  Major  went  in  pursuit  of  this 
animal  very  often,  but  without  success,  as  the  chase 
was  continually  interrupted  by  the  herds  of  ostriches 
and  other  game  which  fell  in  their  way. 

One  morning,  having  discovered  with  the  telescope 
that  three  of  these  gemsbok  were  some  miles  distant 
on  a  rising  ground,  they  set  off,  accompanied  by  a 
portion  of  the  Hottentots  on  foot,  who  were  desired 
to  go  round,  so  as  to  drive  the  animals  towards  the 
camp.  Bremen  and  Big  Adam  were  of  the  party,  and 
they  had  made  a  circuit  of  three  or  four  miles,  so 
as  to  get  on  the  other  side  of  the  game,  which  now 
darted  down  from  the  high  ground,  and  descending 
on  the  plain,  stopped  for  awhile,  looking  at  their 
pursuers,  while  the  horsemen  advanced  towards  them 
in  the  opposite  direction.  A  shot  from  Alexander  at 
last    brought    one    of    these    splendid    animals    to    the 


294  The  Mission 

ground,  while  the  others  fled  off  to  a  distance,  so  as 
to  give  no  hopes  of  again  coming  up  with  them ; 
and  the  party  on  foot,  as  well  as  the  horsemen, 
now  proceeded  to  the  spot  where  the  gemsbok  lay 
dead. 

As  Swinton  wanted  the  animal  for  a  specimen,  it 
was  placed  on  the  back  of  the  horse  which  Omrah 
rode  as  usual,  and  one  of  the  Hottentots  went  off 
with  it  to  the  camp,  which  was  not  more  than  three 
miles  distant.  They  were  debating  whether  they  should 
make  an  attempt  to  get  near  to  the  other  gemsbok, 
which  were  still  in  sight  at  a  distance,  or  try  for  some 
other  game,  when  they  perceived  three  lions  not  far 
from  them  on  a  rising  ground  ;  and  suddenly  the  horses, 
from  which  they  had  dismounted  to  give  them  time  to 
recover  their  wind,  broke  loose  from  the  Hottentots 
who  held  the  bridles,  and  galloped  away  towards  the 
camp.  The  cause  of  this  panic  was  now  evident,  for 
a  very  large  male  lion  had  detached  himself  from  the 
other  two,  and  was  advancing  slowly  towards  the 
party. 

As  soon  as  they  perceived  the  approach  of  the  lion, 
which  they  had  not  at  first,  they  all  seized  their  guns  ; 
but  being  wholly  unprepared  for  such  a  sudden  attack, 
there  was  a  great  deal  of  confusion  :  the  Major  crying 
out  "  Let  no  one  fire  till  I  tell  him,"  only  produced 
more  alarm  among  the  Hottentots,  all  of  whom,  except 
Bremen,  appeared  to  be  at  their  wits'  ends.  When  within 
fifty  yards,  the  lion  made  one  or  two  bounds,  and  in  a 
moment  was  among  them  all,  before  they  could  bring 
their  guns  to  their  shoulders  ;  the  retreat  was  general  in 
every  direction,  and  not  a  shot  was  fired. 

All,  however,  did  not  escape  ;  Big  Adam  had  started 
back,  and  coming  with  all  his  force  against  Omrah,  who 
was  standing  behind  him,  had  fallen  over  the  boy,  and 
they  were  both  flat  on  their  backs,  when  the  lion  made 
his  spring.  The  lion  was  standing  up,  looking  proudly  at 
his  flying  enemies,  when  Big  Adam,  who  was  close  to 


The  Mission  295 

him,  attempted  to  rise  and  gain  his  feet ;  but  perceiving 
this,  the  animal,  with  a  blow  of  its  fore-paw,  laid  him 
prostrate  again,  set  its  foot  upon  his  breast,  and  in  this 
attitude  again  looked  proudly  round  him,  as  if  confident  of 
his  superiority. 

Omrah,  who  had  sense  enough  to  lie  still,  had  yet  his 
eyes  sufficiently  opened  to  see  what  was  going  on  ;  and  as 
the  lion  appeared  to  be  looking  at  the  scattered  party,  in  a 
direction  away  from  him,  Omrah  made  one  or  two  turns 
over,  so  as  to  get  farther  off,  hoping  that  he  might  escape 
unperceived.  The  lion,  however,  heard  the  rustling,  and 
turning  round,  growled  at  him,  and  Omrah  remained  still 
again.  As  Big  Adam's  feet  were  turned  towards  Omrah, 
the  lion  now  took  up  his  position,  deliberately  lying  down 
at  full  length  upon  Big  Adam's  body,  with  his  hind- 
quarters upon  the  Hottentot's  face,  so  that  he  not  only 
secured  his  prisoner,  but  watched  Omrah,  who  lay  about 
three  yards  from  him. 

In  the  meantime  the  anxiety  of  the  other  party  may  be 
imagined ;  they  considered  that  Big  Adam  and  Omrah 
must  be  sacrificed.  It  was  proposed  to  fire  with  good 
aim,  so  as,  if  possible,  to  bring  the  animal's  attention  and 
indignation  upon  themselves ;  but  Swinton  cried  out  not 
to  fire  on  any  account.  "  The  animal  is  not  hungry  or 
even  angry,"  said  Swinton.  "If  left  alone,  he  will  pro- 
bably walk  away  without  doing  them  injury.  At  all 
events,  our  firing  will  be  the  signal  for  their  de- 
struction." 

The  advice  of  Swinton  was  considered  good,  especially 
as  it  was  backed  by  that  of  Bremen,  who  also  said  that 
the  lion  was  not  hungry,  and  that,  by  the  way  in  which  he 
moved  his  tail,  he  was  evidently  more  inclined  to  play  than 
anything  else. 

But  in  the  meantime  the  pressure  of  the  lion,  whose 
weight  was  enormous,  was  not  only  more  than  Big  Adam 
could  bear,  but  the  hind-quarters  of  the  animal  being 
over  his  face,  prevented  him  from  breathing ;  and  at  last 
he  was  compelled  to  struggle  to  get  his  head  clear.     The 


296  The  Mission 

consequence  of  his  struggling  was  a  severe  bite  on  the  leg, 
inflicted  on  poor  Adam ;  not,  however,  in  a  furious 
manner ;  for  the  lion  merely  caught  at  him  as  a  cat  would 
at  a  mouse,  to  prevent  its  escape,  or  because  it  was  not 
quite  dead.  However,  Big  Adam  had  so  far  disengaged 
his  head  that  he  could  now  breathe  ;  and  as  the  party 
kept  crying  out  to  him  to  lie  still,  he  continued  so  to  do, 
although  nearly  suffocated  with  the  enormous  weight  of 
the  animal. 

Omrah,  who  had  remained  still  during  all  this  time, 
perceiving  that  the  lion  was  licking  the  blood,  which 
flowed  from  the  wound  in  Big  Adam's  leg,  thought  that 
he  might  as  weil  try  another  roll  over,  and  being  on  his 
back,  he  turned  over  on  his  face  away  from  the  lion. 
Thereupon  the  lion  rose  from  off  Big  Adam,  walked  up 
to  Omrah,  and,  to  the  horror  of  our  travellers,  took  up 
the  boy  by  his  waistcloth,  and  carrying  him  like  a  small 
bundle  in  his  mouth,  went  back  to  Big  Adam,  and  laying 
Omrah  close  down  to  the  Hottentot's  head,  again  took  up 
his  position  on  his  body  ;  now,  however,  with  his  paws 
upon  the  Hottentot's  breast,  so  that  he  might  keep  Omrah 
in  view  before  him.  Little  Omrah  had  sense  enough  not 
to  move  during  the  time  that  the  lion  carried  him,  or  after 
he  was  laid  down. 

The  change  in  the  position  of  the  lion  occasioned  our 
travellers  and  the  party  to  walk  round,  so  as  to  be  able 
to  watch  the  countenance  of  the  animal,  as  everything  de- 
pended upon  the  temper  he  might  be  in.  The  Major  and 
Alexander  became  very  impatient,  and  were  for  advancing 
to  the  attack,  but  Swinton  persuaded  them  not  to  do  so 
until  the  last  moment. 

The  lion  now  put  its  fore-paw  upon  the  Hottentot's 
mouth,  and  again  stopped  his  breath ;  this  occasioned 
another  struggle  on  the  part  of  Big  Adam,  which  was 
followed  by  the  animal  seizing  him  by  the  arm  and  biting 
him  severely ;  but  in  so  doing,  the  lion  removed  its  paw, 
and  the  man  could  breathe  again.  The  taste  of  blood 
appeared  pleasant  to  the  lion,  for  it  continued  biting  the 


The  Mission  297 

arm,  descending  from  the  shoulder  to  the  hand,  and  as 
the  blood  flowed  from  the  wounds  on  its  paws,  the  lion 
licked  it  off.  Again  and  again  it  licked  its  paw  clean,  and 
then,  with  its  glaring  eye  fixed  intently  upon  the 
Hottentot's  face,  it  smelt  him  first  on  one  side  and  then  on 
the  other,  and  appeared  only  to  be  waiting  for  a  return  of 
appetite  to  commence  a  deliberate  meal  upon  the  poor 
fellow's  body. 

In  the  meantime  our  travellers  were  standing  about 
seventy  yards  distant,  waiting  for  the  signal  to  attack, 
when  Bremen  observed  to  Swinton — 

"  He  won't  wait  much  longer,  sir ;  the  blood  has  given 
him  an  appetite.  We  must  now  drive  him  away,  or  they 
will  both  be  killed." 

"  I  think  so  too,"  replied  Swinton  ;  "  let  us  first  try  if 
we  can  disturb  him  without  making  him  angry ;  that  will 
be  the  best  way.  We  must  go  back  out  of  springing 
distance,  and  then  all  shout  together,  and  keep  hallooing 
at  him." 

This  advice  was  followed  ;  they  retreated  a  hundred 
yards,  and  then  all  shouted  at  once,  and  after  that  the 
Hottentots  hallooed  and  bawled  to  the  lion.  This  had  the 
effect  intended :  the  lion  rose  from  the  bodies  and 
advanced  towards  the  party,  who  stood  still  hallooing  at 
him,  but  not  attempting  to  irritate  him  by  presenting  their 
guns.  The  lion  looked  steadfastly  at  them  for  some  time, 
and  then  turned  away.  After  retreating  a  few  steps,  it 
turned  back  to  face  them ;  the  whole  party  continued  on 
the  same  spot,  neither  advancing  so  as  to  irritate  him,  nor 
retreating,  so  as  to  let  the  animal  suppose  that  they  were 
afraid  of  him.  When  the  lion  had  continued  for  a  few 
minutes  this  course  of  retreating  and  advancing,  he  turned 
right  round,  and  went  away  at  a  hand  canter,  and  our 
travellers  immediately  hastened  to  the  spot  where  Big 
Adam  and  Omrah  were  still  lying. 

Omrah,  who  was  not  at  all  hurt,  instantly  jumped  on  his 
legs,  and,  if  he  had  been  afraid,  appeared  to  have  quite 
recovered  his  courage,  as  he  cut  all  manner  of  capers,  and 


298  The  Mission 

laughed  immoderately ;  but  Big  Adam  was  greatly 
exhausted,  and  could  not  move,  as  much  from  the  immense 
pressure  of  the  lion's  enormous  body,  as  from  the  blood 
that  he  had  lost  by  the  wounds  which  he  had  received. 
On  examination,  the  bite  in  his  leg  was  found  to  be  much  the 
most  serious,  as  the  bone  was  injured ;  the  wounds  on  his 
arm  were  all  flesh  wounds,  and,  although  very  painful,  were 
not  dangerous.  He  was  at  present  unable  to  speak,  and 
was  carried  by  his  comrades  to  the  camp.  Our  travellers 
followed  the  Hottentots,  as  they  had  all  had  enough  of 
hunting  for  that  day.  As  soon  as  they  arrived,  Big 
Adam's  wounds  were  dressed  by  Swinton,  and  the  poor 
fellow  was  accommodated  with  a  bed,  made  up  for  him  in 
the  baggage-wagon.  They  remained  two  days  more  on 
the  banks  of  the  Modder  River,  and  then  they  forded  it 
and  continued  their  journey. 

On  the  second  day  they  perceived  some  small  human 
figures  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  at  some  distance,  which  the 
Hottentots  declared  to  be  Bushmen,  of  which  people  there 
were  numerous  hordes  in  this  part  of  the  country.  An 
attempt  was  made  to  open  a  communication  with  them,  but 
in  vain,  as  when  any  of  the  party  advanced  on  horseback 
towards  them,  the  Bushmen  made  a  precipitate  retreat. 
As  they  were  now  in  the  neighbourhood  of  these 
plunderers,  every  care  was  taken  of  the  cattle,  which  were 
tied  up  before  dark  to  prevent  their  being  stolen. 

On  the  following  day  they  very  unexpectedly  fell  in 
with  a  party  of  nine  of  the  Bushmen,  who  were  very  busy 
devouring  a  quagga,  which  they  had  killed.  They  replied 
to  questions  put  to  them  with  much  fear  and  trembling, 
and  having  been  presented  with  some  tobacco,  they  made 
a  precipitate  retreat.  On  that  night  the  fires  of  the  Bush- 
men were  to  be  seen  on  several  of  the  surrounding  hills. 
They  continued  their  course  on  the  following  day,  when 
they  fell  in  with  about  twenty  women  of  the  race  we  have 
just  mentioned,  who  approached  the  caravan  without  fear, 
requesting  tobacco  and  food ;  the  former  was  given  to 
them  in  small  quantities,  and  a  shot  from  the  Major's  rifle 


The  Mission  299 

soon  procured  them  the  latter.  They  were  now  without 
water  again,  and  had  no  chance  of  procuring  any  except 
from  the  pools,  until  they  arrived  at  the  Nu  Gariep,  or 
Black  River,  which  they  had  crossed  when  they  came  out 
from  the  CafFre  Land. 

Having  travelled  till  dark,  they  halted  under  a  hill,  and 
were  soon  afterwards  joined  by  a  party  of  Bushwomen, 
who  continued  with  them  in  spite  of  all  their  attempts  to 
get  rid  of  them.  They  were  very  small  in  person,  well 
made,  and  the  young  were  rather  pretty  in  their  features, 
but  their  ornaments  were  enough  to  disgust  anyone  but  a 
Hottentot ;  for  they  were  smeared  with  grease  and  red 
ochre,  and  were  adorned  with  the  entrails  of  animals  as 
necklaces.  The  Hottentots,  however,  appeared  to  think 
this  very  delightful,  and  were  pleased  with  their  company, 
and  as  the  women  showed  them  a  pool  of  water,  where 
the  oxen  could  drink,  it  was  not  considered  advisable  to 
drive  them  away.  But  Swinton  observed,  that  it  would 
be  necessary  to  keep  a  very  sharp  look-out,  as  the  women 
were  invariably  sent  by  the  Bushmen  as  spies,  that  they 
might  watch  the  opportunity  for  stealing  cattle. 

They  now  resumed  their  former  plan  ;  starting  at  a  very 
early  hour,  and  travelling  till  afternoon,  when  the  cattle 
were  allowed  several  hours  to  feed,  and  were  then  tied  up 
for  the  night  to  the  wagons.  Indeed  the  lions  were  now 
not  so  numerous  as  they  had  been,  and  they  had  more  to 
fear  from  the  Bushmen  and  the  hyenas,  which  were  very 
plentiful. 

The  next  day  fully  proved  the  truth  of  this,  for  the  oxen 
having  been  unyoked  as  usual  to  feed,  about  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  had  been  led  to  a  hollow  of  luxuriant 
pasture  by  the  cattle-keepers,  where  they  could  not  be  seen 
from  the  caravan,  although  they  were  not  half-a-mile  off. 
Towards  dusk,  when  it  was  time  to  drive  them  in  and  tie 
them  up  to  the  wagons,  it  was  found  that  the  cattle- 
keepers,  who  had  been  in  company  with  the  Bushwomen, 
had  neglected  their  charge,  and  they  were  not  to  be 
found. 


300  The  Mission 

The  keepers  came  running  in,  stating  that  a  lion  had 
scared  the  cattle,  and  that  the  animals  had  galloped 
off  to  a  great  distance.  But  Omrah,  who  had  gone  to 
where  the  cattle  had  been  feeding,  returned  to  the  camp 
and  told  Swinton  that  it  was  not  lions  but  Bushmen  who 
had  stolen  them ;  and  bringing  the  horses  ready  saddled 
to  the  Major  and  Alexander,  said,  that  if  they  did  not 
follow  them  immediately,  the  cattle  would  be  all  killed.  It 
was  also  observed  that  the  Bushwomen  had  all  disappeared. 

Swinton,  who  was  well  aware  of  the  customs  of  the 
Bushmen,  immediately  proposed  that  they  should  mount 
as  many  as  they  could,  and  go  in  chase,  as  there  was 
not  an  hour  to  be  lost.  In  half  an  hour  a  party,  con- 
sisting of  our  three  travellers,  Bremen,  Omrah,  and  three 
of  the  most  trusty  of  the  Hottentots,  who  were  all  that 
they  could  mount,  set  off  in  the  direction  which  they  knew 
must  have  been  taken,  so  as  to  conceal  the  cattle  from  the 
sight  of  those  in  the  caravan  ;  and  it  being  a  fine  moon- 
light night,  the  keen  eyes  of  Omrah  tracked  them  for 
more  than  five  miles,  where  they  were  at  fault,  as  the 
traces  of  their  hoofs  were  no  longer  to  be  seen. 

"  "What  shall  we  do  now  ?  said  the  Major. 

"We  must  trust  to  Omrah,"  replied  Swinton;  "he 
knows  the  habits  of  his  people  well ;  and  they  will  not 
deceive  him." 

Omrah,  who  had  been  very  busy  kneeling  on  the  ground 
and  striking  a  light  every  now  and  then  with  a  flint  and 
steel,  to  ascertain  the  track  more  distinctly,  now  came  up 
and  made  them  comprehend  that  the  Bushmen  had  turned 
back  upon  the  very  track  they  had  gone  upon,  and  that 
they  must  return  and  find  where  they  diverged  from  it 
again. 

This  created  considerable  delay,  as  they  had  to  walk 
the  horses  back  for  more  than  a  mile,  when  they  again 
found  the  footing  of  the  cattle  diverging  from  the  track 
to  the  southward  and  eastward,  in  the  direction  of  some 
hills. 

They  now  made  all   the  haste  that   they   could,    and 


The  Mission  301 

proceeded  so  rapidly  on  the  track,  that  in  about  an  hour 
they  perceived  the  whole  herd  of  oxen  driven  up  the  side 
of  a  hill  by  a  party  of  Bushmen.  They  put  spurs  to  their 
horses  and  galloped  as  fast  as  they  could  in  pursuit,  and 
soon  came  up  with  them ;  when  a  discharge  of  rifles  left 
three  Bushmen  on  the  ground  and  put  all  the  rest  to  flight. 
The  cattle,  which  were  much  frightened,  were  with  some 
difficulty  turned  and  driven  back  towards  the  encampment. 
In  the  meantime  the  disappointed  Bushmen  had  turned 
upon  those  near,  and  were  letting  fly  their  arrows  from 
the  bushes  in  which  they  were  concealed ;  and  continued 
thus  to  assail  them  till  the  party  arrived  at  the  open  plain. 
One  of  the  Hottentots  was  wounded  by  an  arrow  in  the 
neck  j  but  that  was  the  only  accident  which  occurred  to 
any  of  the  party,  and  this  was  not  known  to  our  travellers 
until  after  their  arrival  at  the  encampment,  when  it  was 
almost  daybreak ;  and  then,  tired  with  the  fatigues  of  the 
night,  all  were  glad  to  obtain  a  few  hours'  rest. 

When  they  rose  the  next  morning,  Swanevelt  informed 
them  that  nine  of  the  oxen  were  so  wounded  with  the 
poisoned  arrows  of  the  Bushmen,  that  they  could  not  live ; 
and  also,  that  Piets  the  Hottentot  had  been  badly  wounded 
in  the  neck  with  one  of  the  arrows.  Swinton  immediately 
ordered  the  man  to  be  brought  to  him,  as  he  was  well 
aware  of  the  fatal  effects  of  a  wound  from  a  Bushman's 
arrow. 

It  appeared  that  Piets  had  pulled  the  arrow  out  of  his 
neck,  but  that  some  pieces  of  the  barb  had  remained  in 
the  wound,  and  that  these  his  companions  had  been 
extracting  with  their  knives,  and  the  wound  was  very 
much  inflamed  in  consequence.  Swinton  immediately 
cut  out  as  much  of  the  affected  part  as  he  could,  applied 
ammonia  to  the  wound,  and  gave  him  laudanum  to  mitigate 
the  pain,  which  was  very  acute  j  but  the  poor  fellow  lay 
groaning  during  the  whole  of  the  day. 

They  now  examined  the  wounded  oxen,  which  were 
already  so  swollen  with  the  poison  that  there  were  no 
hopes  of  saving  them,  and  they  were  immediately  put  out 


3<D2  The  Mission 

of  their  pain.  Several  others  were  found  slightly  hurt, 
but  not  so  as  to  lose  all  hopes  of  their  recovery  ;  but 
this  unfortunate  circumstance  prevented  them  from  con- 
tinuing their  journey  for  two  days  j  as  the  whole  of  the 
oxen  had  been  much  harassed  and  cut  by  the  Bushmen, 
although  not  wounded  by  poisoned  arrows.  During 
this  delay,  the  poor  Hottentot  became  hourly  worse  j 
his  head  and  throat  were  much  swollen,  and  he  said 
that  he  felt  the  poison  working  within  him. 

After  many  hours  of  suffering,  during  which  swellings 
appeared  in  various  parts  of  his  body,  the  poor  fellow 
breathed  his  last ;  and  the  next  day  being  Sunday,  they 
remained  as  usual,  and  the  body  of  the  unfortunate  man 
was  consigned  to  a  grave.  This  event  threw  a  cloud  over 
the  whole  caravan,  and  whenever  any  of  the  Bushwomen 
made  their  appearance  at  a  distance,  and  made  signs  that 
they  wished  to  come  into  the  camp,  an  angry  bullet  was 
sent  instantly  over  their  heads,  which  made  them  take  to 
their  heels. 

On  the  Monday  morning  they  again  started  with  their 
reduced  trains,  for  now  they  had  barely  sufficient  cattle  to 
drag  the  wagons.  Fortunately  they  were  but  a  few  miles 
from  the  Nu  Gariep,  and  they  arrived  at  its  banks  before 
evening.  The  next  day  they  crossed  it  with  difficulty, 
putting  all  the  oxen  to  two  of  the  wagons  and  then 
returning  for  the  others. 

They  were  now  once  more  in  the  colony,  and  their 
dangers  and  difficulties  were  to  be  considered  over.  It 
was  not,  however,  till  a  week  afterwards  that  they  suc- 
ceeded in  crossing  the  Sweenberg  and  arriving  at  Graff" 
Reynet.  At  this  beautiful  spot  they  remained  for  a  few 
days,  to  make  arrangements  and  to  procure  horses,  that 
they  might  proceed  to  Cape  Town  as  fast  as  possible, 
leaving  Bremen  in  charge  of  the  wagons,  which  he  was  to 
bring  down  to  them  as  soon  as  he  could.  "We  shall  pass 
over  the  remainder  of  their  journey  on  horseback,  as  there 
was  nothing  remarkable  to  be  related.  Suffice  it  to  say 
that  on  the  nth  of  January  1830,  they  arrived  safe  and 


The  Mission  303 

sound  at  Cape  Town,  and  were  warmly  congratulated  by 
Mr  Fairburn  and  their  many  friends,  after  all  the  dangers 
and  difficulties  which  they  had  encountered. 


Chapter  XXIX 

Alexander  Wilmot  again  took  possession  of  the  apart- 
ments in  Mr  Fairburn's  house,  and  was  not  sorry  once 
more  to  find  himself  surrounded  by  all  the  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  civilisation.  He  could  scarcely  believe  where 
he  was  when  he  woke  up  the  first  morning,  and  found 
that  he  had  slept  the  whole  night  without  being  disturbed 
with  the  roar  of  a  lion  or  the  cries  of  the  hyena  and  jackal ; 
and  after  the  habit  to  which  he  had  been  so  long  accus- 
tomed, of  eating  his  meals  in  the  open  air  with  his  plate 
on  his  knees,  he  could  hardly  reconcile  himself  for  a  few 
days  to  a  well  laid-out  table.  The  evenings  were  passed 
in  narrating  their  adventures  to  Mr  Fairburn,  who  was 
truly  glad  of  the  result  of  the  Mission  to  Port  Natal,  as  it 
would  be  so  satisfactory  to  old  Sir  Charles. 

Alexander  was  now  most  anxious  to  return  to  England, 
and  resolved  to  take  his  passage  in  the  first  ship  which 
sailed  after  the  arrival  of  the  wagons  with  his  effects.  In 
the  meantime  his  mornings  were  chiefly  passed  with 
Swinton  and  the  Major,  the  latter  of  whom  intended  to  go 
to  England  by  the  same  vessel  as  Alexander.  In  three 
weeks  after  their  return  to  the  Cape,  the  four  wagons 
arrived,  and  excited  much  curiosity,  as  they  were  filled 
with  every  variety  of  the  animal  kingdom  which  was 
indigenous  to  the  country.  Swinton's  treasures  were  soon 
unloaded  and  conveyed  to  his  house,  and  our  naturalist 
was  as  happy  as  an  enthusiastic  person  could  be  in  the 
occupation  that  they  gave  him.  Alexander  only  selected  a 
few  things  j  among  which  were  the  skins  of  the  lion  and 
the  lioness.  As  for  the  Major,  he  had  had  all  his  pleasure 
in  the  destruction  of  the  animals. 


304  The  Mission 

Bremen  reported  that  all  the  Hottentots  had  behaved 
very  well,  and  that  Big  Adam  had  nearly  recovered,  and 
was  able  to  limp  about  a  little ;  although  it  would  be  a 
long  while  before  he  would  regain  the  perfect  use  of  his 
leg.  Alexander  now  sent  for  them  all,  and  paid  them 
their  wages,  with  an  extra  sum  as  a  gratuity  for  their  good 
conduct.  To  Bremen  and  Swanevelt,  who  had  invariably 
conducted  themselves  faithfully,  and  who  had  been  the 
leading  and  most  trustworthy  men,  he  gave  to  each  a 
wagon  and  span  of  ten  oxen  as  a  present,  by  which  they 
might  in  future  obtain  their  livelihood ;  and  the  poor 
fellows  considered  themselves  as  rich  as  the  King  of  Eng- 
land. The  other  wagons  and  cattle  of  every  description 
were  left  with  Swinton  to  be  disposed  of. 

The  Major  pressed  Swinton  very  hard  to  part  with  little 
Omrah,  but  Swinton  would  not  consent.  The  Major 
therefore  presented  Omrah  with  one  of  his  best  rifles,  and 
accoutrements  to  correspond,  as  a  mark  of  his  attachment ; 
and  Alexander  desired  that  all  the  money  which  was 
realised  by  the  sale  of  the  remaining  wagons  and  other 
articles,  as  well  as  the  cattle  and  horses,  should  be  put  by 
for  Omrah's  benefit.  As  a  keepsake,  Alexander  gave  the 
lad  his  telescope,  with  which  he  knew  that  Omrah  would 
be  highly  pleased. 

We  may  here  as  well  observe,  that,  a  few  months  after 
Alexander  and  the  Major  left  the  Cape,  Omrah,  who  had 
been  placed  at  a  school  by  Swinton,  was  admitted  into  the 
church,  and  baptised  by  the  names  of  Alexander  Henderson 
Omrah ;  Alexander  and  the  Major  being  his  sponsors  by 
proxies.  He  turned  out  a  very  clever  scholar,  and  remains 
with  Swinton  at  this  moment.  He  has  more  than  once 
accompanied  him  into  the  interior,  and  has  done  much  in 
reclaiming  his  countrymen,  the  Bushmen,  from  their 
savage  way  of  life,  and  has  been  of  great  service  to  the 
missionaries,  as  interpreter  of  the  Word  to  his  heathen 
brethren. 

About  a  fortnight  after  the  return  of  the  wagons  to 
Cape  Town,  a  free  trader  cast  anchor  in  Table  Bay  to 


The  Mission  305 

take  in  water,  and  Alexander  and  the  Major  secured  a 
passage  in  her  to  England.  Alexander  parted  with  great 
regret  from  Mr  Fairburn  and  Swinton,  with  whom  he 
promised  to  correspond  ;  and  they  sailed  with  a  fair  wind 
for  St  Helena,  where  they  remained  for  a  few  days,  and 
took  that  opportunity  of  visiting  the  tomb  of  Napoleon, 
the  former  emperor  of  the  French.  A  seven  weeks' 
passage  brought  them  into  the  Channel,  and  they  once 
more  beheld  the  white  cliffs  of  England. 

Alexander's  impatience  to  see  his  uncle,  from  whom  he 
had  found  a  letter  waiting  for  him  on  his  return  to  the 
Cape,  stating  that  he  was  in  tolerable  health,  induced  him 
to  leave  the  ship  in  a  pilot  boat,  and  land  at  Falmouth. 
Taking  leave  for  a  time  of  the  Major,  who  preferred 
going  on  to  Portsmouth,  Alexander  travelled  with  all 
possible  speed,  and  on  the  second  day  arrived  at  his 
uncle's. 

"Is  my  uncle  quite  well?"  said  Alexander,  as  he 
leaped  out  of  the  chaise,  to  the  old  butler,  who  was  at  the 
door. 

"  No,  sir,  not  quite  well !  he  has  been  in  bed  for  this 
last  week;  but  there  is  nothing  serious  the  matter,  I 
believe." 

Alexander  hastened  upstairs,  and  was  once  more  in  the 
arms  of  Sir  Charles  Wilmot,  who  embraced  him  warmly, 
and  then,  exhausted  with  the  emotion,  sank  back  on  his 
pillow. 

"  Leave  me  for  a  little  while,  my  dear  boy,  till  I 
recover  myself  a  little,"  said  Sir  Charles  ;  "I  have  no 
complaint,  but  I  am  very  weak  and  feeble.  I  will  send 
for  you  very  soon." 

Alexander,  who  was  himself  much  affected,  was  not 
sorry  to  withdraw  for  a  while,  and  sent  the  housekeeper, 
who  attended  his  aged  relative,  into  the  room.  In  about 
an  hour  a  message  arrived,  requesting  that  he  would 
return  to  his  uncle. 

"  And  now,  my  dear,  kind  boy,  tell  me  everything.  I 
am  indeed  overjoyed  to  see  you  back  again ;  I  have  not 
m  u 


306  The  Mission 

had  one  line  from  you  since  you  left  the  Cape,  and  I  really 
think  that  the  worry  and  anxiety  that  I  have  felt  have 
been  the  cause  of  my  taking  to  my  bed.  Now  you  are 
back,  I  shall  be  quite  well  again.  Now  tell  me  all,  and  I 
will  not  interrupt  you." 

Alexander  sat  down  by  the  bed,  and  entered  into  a  full 
detail  of  the  results  of  his  expedition  to  Port  Natal ; 
reading  over  all  the  memoranda  which  they  had  collected, 
and  satisfactorily  proving  that  the  descendants  of  the 
Europeans  then  existing  could  not  by  any  possibility  be 
from  those  who  had  been  lost  in  the  Grosvenor  East- 
Indiaman. 

Sir  Charles  Wilmot  listened  in  silence  to  all  Alexander 
had  to  say,  and  then  joining  his  hands  above  the  bed- 
clothes, exclaimed,  "  Gracious  Lord,  I  thank  thee  that 
this  weight  has  been  removed  from  my  mind."  He  then 
for  some  minutes  prayed  in  silence,  and  when  he  had 
finished,  he  requested  Alexander  to  leave  him  till  the 
evening. 

The  physician  having  called  shortly  after  Alexander  left 
his  uncle,  Alexander  requested  his  opinion  as  to  Sir 
Charles's  state  of  health.     The  former  replied — 

"  He  has  but  one  complaint,  my  dear  sir,  which  all  the 
remedies  in  the  world  are  not  very  likely  to  remove :  it  is 
the  natural  decay  of  nature,  arising  from  old  age.  I  do 
not  consider  that  he  is  in  any  immediate  danger  of  dissolu- 
tion. I  think  it  very  likely  that  he  may  never  rise  from 
his  bed  again  j  but  at  the  same  time,  he  may  remain  bed- 
ridden for  months.  He  sinks  very  gradually,  for  he  has 
had  naturally  a  very  strong  constitution.  I  believe  the 
anxiety  of  his  mind,  arising  from  your  absence,  and  the 
blame  he  laid  on  himself  for  having  allowed  you  to  under- 
take your  expedition,  have  worn  him  more  than  anything 
else  ;  but  now  that  you  have  returned,  I  have  no  doubt, 
after  the  first  excitement  is  over,  that  he  will  rally.  Still 
man  is  born  to  die,  Mr  Wilmot,  and  your  uncle  has 
already  lived  beyond  the  threescore  years  and  ten  allotted 
to  the  average  age  of  man.     Depend  upon  it,  everything 


The  Mission  307 

shall    be    done   which    can    protract    a   life    so    dear    to 
you." 

Alexander  thanked  the  physician,  and  the  latter  then 
went  upstairs  to  Sir  Charles.  On  his  return,  he  informed 
Alexander  that  Sir  Charles's  pulse  was  stronger,  but  that 
something  must  be  allowed  for  the  excitement  which  he 
had  undergone. 

When  Alexander  saw  his  uncle  in  the  evening,  the 
latter  again  thanked  him  for  having  undertaken  the 
expedition,  and  having  brought  back  such  satisfactory 
accounts. 

"  I  am  much  your  debtor,  my  dear  boy,"  said  he 
"  and  if  it  is  any  satisfaction  to  you  (which  I  am  sure  it 
must  be  from  your  kind  heart)  to  know  that  you  have 
smoothed  the  death-bed  of  one  who  loves  you,  you  have 
your  reward.  I  feel  quite  strong  now ;  and  if  it  will  not 
be  too  much  trouble,  I  should  like  you  to  give  me  a 
narrative  of  the  whole  expedition ;  not  all  at  once,  but  a 
little  now  and  then.  You  shall  begin  now,  and  mind  you 
enter  into  every  little  detail, — everything  will  interest 
me. 

Alexander  commenced  his  narrative,  as  his  uncle  re- 
quested, stating  to  him  how  they  were  fitted  out  j  the 
names  of  all  the  people ;  describing  Swinton  and  the 
Major,  and  giving  a  much  closer  narrative  of  what  passed 
than  we  have  done  in  these  pages.  After  an  hour  or  so, 
during  which  Alexander  had  not  got  so  far  in  his  narrative 
as  to  have  quitted  the  Cape  for  Algoa  Bay,  he  left  off, 
that  he  might  not  weary  his  uncle,  and  wished  him  good- 
night. 

For  many  weeks  did  the  narrative,  and  the  conversation 
produced  by  it,  serve  to  amuse  and  interest  the  old  gentle- 
man, who  still  remained  in  his  bed.  But  long  before  it 
was  finished,  Major  Henderson  had  arrived  at  the  Hall,  and 
had  been  introduced  to  Sir  Charles,  who  was  much  pleased 
with  him,  and  requested  him  to  remain  as  long  as  he  found 
it  agreeable.  The  Major,  at  Alexander's  request,  had  the 
lion  and  lioness  set  up  in  Leadbeater's  best  style,  and  the 


308  The  Mission 

case  had  now  arrived  at  the  hall,  and  was  brought  up  into 
Sir  Charles's  room,  that  he  might  have  some  idea  of  the 
animals  with  which  they  had  had  to  contend ;  and  there  it 
remained,  for  the  old  gentleman  would  not  allow  it  to  be 
taken  away. 

"  I  must  send  out  a  present  to  that  little  Omrah,"  said 
Sir  Charles,  one  morning,  as  he  was  conversing  with  the 
Major  ;  "  what  shall  it  be  ? " 

"  Well,  sir,  I  hardly  know ;  but  I  think  the  best  present 
for  him  would  be  a  watch." 

"  Then,  Major,  order  one  of  the  best  gold  watches  that 
can  be  made,  when  you  go  to  town,  and  send  it  out  to 
him  ;  and,  Major, — I  am  sorry  to  give  you  that  trouble, 
but  I  am  an  old  bed-ridden  man,  and  that  must  be  my 
excuse, — take  the  keys  from  the  dressing-table,  and  open 
the  small  drawer  of  that  cabinet,  and  you  will  find  two 
morocco  cases  in  it,  which  I  will  thank  you  to  bring 
to  me." 

The  Major  did  so,  and  Sir  Charles,  raising  himself  on 
his  pillow,  opened  the  cases,  which  contained  each  a 
massive  ring,  in  which  was  set  a  diamond  of  great 
value. 

"  These  two  rings  were  presented  me  by  Eastern 
princes,  Major,  at  the  time  that  I  was  resident  in  their 
country.  There  is  little  difference  in  their  value,  but 
you  would  find  it  difficult  to  match  the  stones,  even  in 
England.  I  will  shut  the  cases  up  again,  and  now  that  I 
have  shut  them  up  in  my  hands,  take  one  out  for  me. 
Thank  you,  Major ;  that  one  is  a  present  from  me  to  our 
friend  Swinton,  and  you  must  send  it  out  to  him  with  the 
watch  for  the  Bush-boy.  The  other,  Major,  I  hope  you 
will  not  refuse  to  accept  as  a  testimony  of  my  gratitude  to 
you,  for  having  accompanied  my  dear  boy  on  his  expedi- 
tion." 

Sir  Charles  put  the  other  case  into  the  Major's  hands. 

"  I  certainly  will  not  refuse  anything  as  a  remembrance 
from  you,  Sir  Charles,"  replied  the  Major;  "  I  accept  your 
splendid  present  with  many  thanks,  and  so  will  Swinton,  I 


The  Mission  309 

am  certain ;  but  he  will  be  more  pleased  with  the  kind 
attention  than  he  will  be  with  its  great  value ;  and  I  trust 
you  will  believe  me  when  I  add  that  such  is  also  my  own 
feeling." 

"  I  only  hope  you  may  have  both  as  much  pleasure  in 
receiving  as  I  have  in  giving  them,"  replied  Sir  Charles  ; 
"  so  put  them  in  your  pocket  and  say  no  more  about  them. 
There  is  Alexander  coming  up,  I  know  his  tread ;  I  hope 
you  do  not  mean  to  desert  him  now  that  the  shooting 
season  is  coming  on ;  he  will  be  very  lonely,  poor  fellow, 
without  you." 

"  I  have  good  news,  my  dear  uncle,"  said  Alexander,  as 
he  entered ;  "  Swinton  is  coming  home  5  I  have  a  letter 
from  him,  and  he  will  be  here,  he  trusts,  a  fortnight  after 
his  letter." 

"  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  shake  hands  with  him,"  said 
Sir  Charles.  "  Pray  write  for  him  to  come  down  imme- 
diately he  arrives." 

Three  weeks  after  this  announcement  Swinton  made  his 
appearance,  and  we  hardly  need  say  was  most  warmly 
welcomed.  Omrah  he  would  not  bring  with  him,  as  he 
wished  him  to  continue  his  education ;  but  the  Major 
declared  that  he  had  left  the  boy  because  he  was  afraid  of 
his  being  taken  from  him.  Our  travellers  were  thus  all 
reunited,  and  they  agreed  among  themselves  that  it  was 
quite  as  comfortable  at  the  Hall  as  it  was  in  the  Bechuana 
country ;  and  that  if  the  sporting  was  not  quite  so  exciting, 
at  all  events  it  was  not  quite  so  dangerous. 

Swinton  and  the  Major  remained  with  Alexander  till 
the  opening  of  the  next  year,  and  then  they  both  left  at 
the  same  time,  and  sailed  in  the  same  ship ;  the  Major  to 
rejoin  his  regiment  in  India,  and  Swinton  to  his  favourite 
locality  in  Africa,  to  obtain  some  more  specimens  in  Natural 
History. 

As  the  physician  had  declared,  Sir  Charles  never  rose 
from  his  bed  again ;  but  he  sunk  so  gradually  that  it 
was  almost  imperceptible,  and  it  was  not  until  the 
summer   of   that    year    that    he    slept    with  his    fathers, 


310  The  Mission 

dying  without  pain,  and    in    perfect    possession    of    his 
senses. 

Alexander  now  came  into  possession  of  the  estates  and 
title,  and  certainly  he  entered  upon  them  without  any 
reproach  as  to  his  conduct  towards  his  uncle,  who  died 
blessing  him ;  and  now  my  tale  is  ended,  and  I  wish  my 
young  readers  farewell. 


THE    END. 


PRINTED   BY 

TURNBULL   AND   SPEARS 

EDINBURGH 


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